Family Business
by storietella2
Summary: In this 2nd tale of the Business and Pleasure series, Christian thought that he had everything all figured out. The day he and wife Ana retired from the business, their oldest child Ted would eventually pick up the mantle. But young Ted has his own plans, much to his father's chagrin. Told from Ted's and Ana's POV. It'll feature many flashbacks in order to fill in some of the gaps.
1. Chapter 1 - Somebody's Watching Me

_Note to the reader: The introduction to this story can be found in the epilogue of "Business and Pleasure" (chapter 51)._

 **Author's Prelude**

Ana Grey conceived her and husband Christian's first child during their honeymoon in April 2012. This was an unexpected pregnancy to say the least. Christian always feared becoming a father due to his own very traumatic early childhood. However, as soon as son Theodore Raymond Grey arrived on the scene on January 12, 2013, Christian instantly fell in love. From that moment on, Christian vowed his life to always protect his son by any means necessary.

As son Ted grew older, Ana's heart expanded. She desired for her precious young boy to grow up with siblings, unlike her. After much persuading, Christian eventually agreed with his wife and she gave birth to their daughter Phoebe Grace on March 10, 2015.

Life was good for the two young parents. Business at Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc. couldn't be better. Once Phoebe was completely potty trained, Ana knew that her two babies were indeed growing up fast. She didn't want to seem greedy and ungrateful and ask her husband for more children, so she focused on her two children and the business.

One day – to Ana's complete and utter surprise, Christian brings up the idea of the two of them having another baby. Eventually, the happy couple was _doubly_ blessed. Identical twin girls Bethany Rose and Brianna May were born September 20, 2018 – just ten days after Ana's 29th birthday.

Ana and Christian's joy was now full. Four children and their multi-billion dollar empire kept the two hard working affluent parents very busy. Helping to pick up the slack at home was Mrs. Gail Taylor, formerly _Gail Jones_. Christian's right hand man Jason Taylor fell in love with Gail and they would eventually marry. The couple currently resides on the Greys' enormous compound on Puget Sound.

When the Grey couple first moved into the massive house from their luxury apartment in Seattle, they decided to add a home for Taylor and Gail on the property. Staying with the Taylors from time to time was Jason's daughter from a previous marriage – Sophie. Just four years older than the Greys' oldest child, Sophie and the Grey children practically grew up together. Ana had quite the fondness for little Sophie, and vice versa. Sophie always hung around the Greys whenever she stayed at her father's house.

Ted, Phoebe and the twins all adored her. And the moment when Sophie turned sixteen, Ana and Christian entrusted her to watch their children for short spans of time until they arrived home to relieve her. This was a regular thing.

Ana always knew that Ted and Sophie had quite the bond ever since Ted was a young boy. But Ana couldn't foreshadow where that bond would lead them – or how that bond would eventually impact their family.

* * *

 **Chapter 1 – Somebody's Watching Me**

 _Monday, August 25, 2031_

 _Ana_

It's quiet. _Finally._

In my nightgown and robe, I sit alone in the dimly lit kitchen at the breakfast bar with my cup of tea. The girls are all asleep in their rooms, while Christian is working away in his study.

 _I wonder how classes are going so far for Teddy._

I really wanted to call him this evening, but he's constantly reminding me to stop babying him. It is his second year at Stanford and all – but I just can't help it.

Teddy will always be my little boy.

Its silent moments like these when I can actually sit back, count my blessings, and reflect on life in general. Most of the time, life just… _happens_. But it's in the still and the quiet where I can actually sit down and assess what's been happening around me.

So, business at Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc. is going exceptionally well. Who would've thought that twenty years ago, I'd be co-CEO of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate alongside my husband.

Running the company was something that I fought against for a long time. But today, I can't see myself doing anything else other than what I'm doing. Just like my husband – I eat, breathe and sleep the business.

However, GEH comes a distant second to my family. In fact, I don't travel for work unless it's absolutely necessary. My priority has always been and will always be my children. I refuse to abandon them, leaving them at home with a nanny.

I want to be there when one of them scrapes a knee, or plays in the band at the school's winter concert. I want to be available the moment one of them experiences their first heartbreak.

One day when I was quite bored, I decided to tidy up throughout the house on Mrs. Taylor's rare day off. While tackling Phoebe's room, I stumbled across a recently graded paper for her English class. Phoebe pretty much gets nothing but A's, so the high marking on the paper did not surprise me. However, when I glance at the subject matter, I decide to read on.

The assignment was to write all about her best friend. I couldn't help but smile as I read Phoebe's touching words about her best pal – all while trying to guess along the way who she wrote about.

 _Which one of her siblings could it be?  
Maybe it's about her cousin Sloan.  
Perhaps it's one of her many other close friends at school._

When the paper approaches the final paragraph, my heart is already expanded to twice its original size. Phoebe is such an old soul. She's very wise beyond her years and has a good head on her shoulders. And with this special _best friend_ by her side, she's definitely in the position to continue making smart decisions moving forward.

Finally, my eyes encounter the very last sentence of her paper.

 ** _"My best friend is my mother, Mrs. Anastasia Grey."_**

As I recall the very moment, my eyes well up just as if I read Phoebe's paper only moments ago. There's absolutely nothing like hearing the praises of your children. It goes to show that the choice I made years ago to always be there for my kids was indeed the right one.

 _Wow…what a difference twenty years makes._

It was twenty years ago when I first met my husband. Christian Grey was my _boss' boss' boss_ at the time. Never could I have imagined that I would fall so deeply in love with the sexy, mysterious stranger taking the elevator up to the twentieth floor on my very first day on the job.

When I finally found out that he was the owner and CEO of the company that I just started working for, I was floored. He was way too young to be so damned successful, running a business with over forty thousand employees – _at the time_. Even today, his youthful good looks remain intact. Today, he's 48 years old, but he looks just as gorgeous as he did when I first laid eyes on him – even with grays peppered throughout the copper in his ruffled, head-full of hair.

People often ask him what his secret to staying so young looking is, and Christian often responds by saying that it's all due to me and the kids. I beg to differ. I believe that it's probably due to great genetics.

In contrast, I'm certain that the kids and I are the ones contributing to his gray hair. He scolds me about worrying all the time, but he's just as bad as I am – if not worse. Otherwise, Mr. Grey and I are still going strong. We make an exceptional team – both in the office and here at home. And well…let's just say that his sexual appetite is keener than ever.

They say that a man's sexual prime is in his 20's. Whoever said that has never met my husband. He continues to endure, and I have a wonderful time keeping up with him.

As for me – let's just say that all of those rumors about _age 40_ being a woman's sexual prime are panning out to be true. I've always been eager when it comes to getting intimate with my husband. But as of late, much to Christian's amusement – I've been rather um… _insatiable_. In fact, I've been even more so than normal.

I want Christian everywhere and at all times. In the bedroom, in the shower, on the floor, in the garage. Yes…we are still rather um… _adventurous_. But with a teenager and two pre-teens still at home, Christian and I have to be on high alert and remain discreet at all times.

 _There's nothing more traumatizing than catching your parents in the act.  
_ I shudder at the thought.

I've obviously had _'the talk'_ with the girls. I laugh to myself reflecting back on the horror that Christian had to endure when he was the first of us to have _'the talk'_ with our son years ago. It was like pulling teeth to finally get Christian to have that _man-to-man_ discussion with Teddy.

Outside of my husband and our children, there are family members and _extended family_ that I continue to hold near and dear to my heart.

My sister-in-law, Mrs. Mia Nielson – formerly Mia Grey is currently living the high life just outside of Los Angeles. She's happily married to legendary actor Clark Nielson after many years, which is a rarity in the town of Hollywood. Mia and Clark have two beautiful children who the girls and I keep up with regularly via hologram. Phoebe, the twins, Sloan, and I will occasionally jet over to spend a couple of days with Mia and her kids – and vice versa.

One of my very good friends, Katie Burns – now known as Katie Kavanagh, lives in New York with her husband Ethan. Ironically, Ethan's younger sister – who is my very best friend – is named _Kate_. It's so damned confusing having both a _Kate_ Kavanagh and a _Katie_ Kavanagh to contend with.

My best friend Kate who hosts a very popular daily news show in Portland eventually changed her last name to McCall. After a slew of past broken engagements, she finally went through with one and married media mogul Tom McCall. Tom used to work for Kate's dad Eamon years ago before he branched out and began his very own successful enterprise.

Well, it almost seems like a complete waste that Kate even changed her last name in the first place because she and Tom have now been separated for almost three years.

I don't know why they just won't go ahead and get a divorce if Kate isn't willing to work things out. And I'm absolutely certain that Tom isn't losing any sleep these days. In fact, Christian and I on a number of occasions have run into Tom at business soirees with a tall, thin, young thing hanging on his arm. Yet when I call Kate afterwards to tell her all about it, she doesn't seem to care very much about what her _still-husband_ is up to these days.

Honestly, I don't believe that Kate ever got over her break up years ago with my brother-in-law, Elliot Grey – Christian's older brother.

Kate and Elliot began dating before Christian and me, even. I thought that they would beat us to the altar. But unfortunately, the two of them broke up a short time after Christian and I returned to Seattle from our honeymoon. I knew trouble was looming between Kate and Elliot right around the time of my wedding. I honestly thought that the two of them would work things out.

They never did.

I don't know who was more devastated by their breakup – _Kate_ or _me_. I had delusions of grandeur. I dreamed of building yet another house on our property at The Sound and having Kate, Elliot, and their future children living just across the meadow from us. All of our children would grow up together and become the best of friends – just like Kate and me. I envisioned our families having barbecues together at the bay every Sunday.

However, life did not pan out accordingly. Elliot would eventually marry a socialite skank named Lily. It was a shotgun wedding of sorts. Lily got pregnant sixteen years ago with their daughter Sloan, and a quick marriage soon followed. That joke of a marriage was doomed from the very beginning. Lily was a close friend of Mia's for many, many years.

That was until Lily did the unthinkable.

Almost two years ago, Lily left Elliot and Sloan behind for a girls' weekend with Mia in LA. Lily never came back home. She met and _so-called 'fell in love'_ with an actor friend of Clark's, never to be seen by us in Seattle again.

The selfish little bitch left Elliot and their daughter in order to pursue another man with a terrible reputation, simply because he had one… A _reputation_.

Elliot seemed to be much too _simple_ for Lily. He's a hardworking man with no interest in the sort of circles that Christian and I associate ourselves with for the sake of our business. Elliot revealed to me on one occasion that Lily would often compare _their_ marriage to _my_ marriage – mine and Christian's.

From the start, Lily and I never got along. According to Mia, Lily's always carried a torch for Christian, but he never gave her the time of day. Then when Lily finally made her way into the Grey family through Elliot, she remained on a self-imposed quest to _one-up_ Christian and me.

 _Lily Grey is a poor excuse for a human being._

The only good thing that came out of that whole situation was Sloan. Sloan is a beautiful, smart, and wonderful young lady. She's about the same age as my Phoebe, and they are like two peas in a pod. The girls attend the same school and even hang out in the same circles. I'm so glad that the two of them are as close as they are.

I make sure to include Sloan in everything that we do as a family whenever possible. She's like another daughter to me. Sloan absolutely needs a mother figure in her daily life since her own mother abandoned her.

And whether or not Christian will admit it, he has a very special place in his heart for his niece. When Sloan's here at the house, Christian treats her just as he does Phoebe and the twins. He gets it that Sloan requires extra care.

 _He's sadly been in her shoes._

Christian knows how it feels to love your birth mom, only to be abandoned by her. In the case of Christian's birth mother, her dependency on drugs took away her ability to love and care her son. For Lily, it was her greed and her desire for attention that took precedence over Sloan.

These days, Elliot's been quite busy with several large contracts at his company, Grey Construction. Sloan even does some office work for her father after school whenever she can. She has often said that she enjoys working alongside her dad.

And Elliot would move heaven and earth for that sweet girl. He's a wonderful father – just like his brother. The Grey men are very dedicated and protective over their children.

 _It absolutely breaks my heart that Elliot doesn't have a loyal and dedicated woman by his side to share his life with. He truly deserves that.  
And Sloan deserves a mother who will love her unconditionally. _

As I sip my now cold tea with a heavy heart, I hear footsteps – breaking my train of thought. I look up and see my husband entering the kitchen.

"Mrs. Grey – I thought you'd be in bed by now," he says with a raised brow.

"Me too. I was thinking about Teddy earlier – then I made tea," I sigh.

"Ted is fine. Stop worrying."

"I'm his mother, so of course I am going to worry."

"You're wasting your time, baby. He is safe – I assure you," he murmurs, smoothing down my loose tendrils of hair.

And after almost twenty years of marriage, I've learned not to ask _'why'_ if I really don't want to know the real answer to the question. Whatever the answer is, it will be ' _typical Fifty_ '.

This is the very same man who over the years had CPO Luke Sawyer keep watch over me – _even outside of my knowledge_. Sawyer, who still works for us after all these years is now responsible for keeping an eye on our girls.

 _God knows who Christian has on hand at Stanford to keep watch over Teddy._

Ever since his senior year in high school, things haven't been quite the same between Teddy and his father. As a result, he's been sort of standoffish towards _everyone_ else in the family as well.

My once carefree Teddy has been keeping way too much to himself these days.  
It's heartbreaking.

….

 _Tuesday, August 26, 2031_

 _Ted_

 _Cheerleader_ Rebecca – an attractive blonde with perky tits and a nice ass is usually the first person to roll her eyes at me in a crowd. But behind closed doors, she's quick to drop down to her knees before me. _Literally_.

 _That Rebecca has the jaws of a beast. No wonder the football team keeps her around._

After I explode, she wipes the excess from her mouth before standing to her feet.  
We face off at the center of my closet-sized dorm room after I retrieve my pants from my ankles.

"Whatcha got here to eat, Grey?" she asks, all bubbly and casual – as if she didn't just have my cock in her mouth.

"Nothing." I narrow my eyes at her, hoping that she catches the hint to climb her ass back out of the window that she crawled in.

 _I'm finished with you. You can go now._

"You're probably the richest kid here, but no one would ever know it by this place," she frowns, panning her surroundings with an expression of pity.

"My folks believe in keeping me humble," I say, tongue in cheek.

"I'd say. Hey…" she starts, closing the gap between us once more. I wince.

 _What's her angle?_

"Why don't you ever end up having sex with me? Since freshman year, I've come here only to blow you. I mean…I enjoy doing it – don't get me wrong. You're um… _great_ , and all. You have a great cock, so I'm sure you're _killer_ in bed," she heavily flirts.

 _And there she goes._

"Well, Rebecca – I enjoy what we've got going here. Don't _you_? I mean…I'm not like those other guys just wanting to pound you out. You know…like Chase and all of those other meatheads on the football squad."

 _Honestly Grey – what makes you think that having this girl sneaking over here just to blow you is any more honorable than fucking her?_

"I _do_ like what we have. But one day, I may want you to be my boyfriend, Grey," she says sweetly.

I laugh, which takes her by surprise.

" _Really_ Rebecca? I heard about you telling your sorority friends that I'm an asshole."

"And you _are_ an asshole, but I think it's rather sexy. _You're_ sexy," she purrs. She inches her head towards me with her lips puckered outward to kiss me, but I place my palm flat over my mouth to block her. I step back.

"Rebecca…this isn't working."

"What do you mean?"

" _This_. This isn't working for me anymore."

She looks appalled.

"Well _who_ are you fucking then, because obviously you're fucking someone – if it's not me!"

" _Quiet_ ," I shush her.

 _Damn girl – it's past curfew and I'm toast if the RA catches you here.  
_ She remembers herself.

" _Who is she_?" she whispers loudly. The anger and jealousy rages in her glare.

"There is no one – but if there were, don't you dare claim that I'm the only guy on campus that you're doing this to," I chastise.

"If you are honestly committed to me, I will be committed to you and _only_ you. All you have to do is say the word, Grey – and I'm a _one-man woman_."

Yeah, Becky – it's time for you to go. It's been fun.  
Peace out.

"Rebecca…I'm gay," I say dramatically. Her eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.

" _Noooo_! I don't believe it!" she gapes at me.

"Believe it. That's why I won't have sex with you. Haven't you put two and two together yet? I mean – we've been doing this… _arrangement_ for a year now."

She stands there and I can see the hamsters churning on that wheel in her little brain.

 _How did she get into Stanford again?_

Then I quickly recall what just happened here moments ago.  
 _Oh…I know how._

"Oh my God. _Ted_ …"

She caresses me on the shoulder and gazes at me with compassion.

"I know it's gotta be extremely hard keeping such a secret, but you can trust me. I won't tell anyone. You're so brave, Ted," she says, pitying me.

Hey, whatever it takes to get her out of here.

"Does your family know?"

"No – they don't."

"Wow – I feel so honored that you would even share something _so_ …so sacred with me. I feel so much closer to you now," she pours out.

And you didn't feel close enough to me when you were swallowing my semen?

Yeah, I'm done with this girl.  
She needs to find another boy-toy to play with.

"Rebecca, I need to get ready for bed. I have an early class tomorrow. We'll talk later."

Or not. Preferably ' _not'_.

"Oh – of course. I'll call you. Maybe we can do lunch tomorrow or something?"

"Sure."

Jesus, I need to lose her.

"I'm here for you whenever you need me. I'll be your shoulder to cry on, Ted. You can trust me with anything."

Give me a fucking break.

"I know, Rebecca. Thank you," I say, pretending to be sincere.

She hugs me tightly – damn near strangling me before she walks backwards towards the window. She doesn't take her sad eyes off of me.

"Damn – I can't believe that you're actually gay. I didn't want to believe it. I mean…the boys would always joke about you being gay, but I didn't see it. They said that you were such a prick because you were hiding your true identity."

Nope, she's not making this any better with her filter-less babbling.  
I'm pretty sure that her jock pals didn't want her spilling out all of their badmouthing to me.

"Goodnight, Rebecca."

"Until tomorrow. Call me if you need anything. Okay?"

"Okay."

She climbs out the window.

Jesus. Finally.

I walk up to the window and lock it as she performs the walk of shame across the field of green grass.

I catch a beam of light as it bounces off the back of her blonde hair, and suddenly see ' _her'_. No…not _Rebecca the BJ Queen_.

 **Her.** The one girl who's had, and will always have my heart.

It was a year and a half ago in the late spring, early summer. I skipped high school after lunch and went home to see _her…_ Sophie.

Sophie was 21, I was 17.

She was at her folks' place on our property for a visit, and she would later meet me over at ' _the big house_ ' where my family lives.

Sophie and I would eventually make our way over to the theater room to watch an obscure classic science fiction movie. She and I kissed. We kissed nonstop. Being with her was a dream come true for me. I'm convinced that I've always loved her. In fact, I think my first word ever spoken was _"Soeee"_ …my poor attempt at pronouncing her sweet name.

 _"Teddy?"_

I can still remember the traumatic tone of my mother's voice when she walked in on Sophie and me making out in the theater room.

 _"Teddy – you understand that I have to tell your father about this, right?"_

No Mom – you didn't really ' _have to'_ tell him.  
If she wanted it to be, it could've remained our little secret.

But _noooo_.

The moment _The Christian Grey_ found out that his only son skipped class to make out with his _driver's daughter_ – he completely lost his shit. From then on, my father was hell bent on keeping Sophie and I apart.

My _loving_ parents.  
 _Sigh._

Yes… _my_ family.

I vaguely remember Dad's grandfather, Great-Grandpa Trevelyan. He's the man that I was named after. He died when I was quite young. Fortunately, my grandparents on both sides are still alive and kicking.

Growing up, I had to contend with the _Grey_ name. Not only was that a pressing issue, but also the fact that my classmates would always harp on how attractive my parents were got to be rather annoying. Hell, people _still_ gush over them. My friends and friends of my sisters' regularly refer to our parents as _MILF_ and _DILF_.

Yeah, it's extremely annoying – although I hope I look as good as my dad, _the Silver Fox_ once I reach his age. And my sisters can only dream of looking even remotely as hot as our mother when they reach their early forties.

Hell – it's no wonder Dad kept knocking her up. I'm surprised they didn't continue having children after the twins were born.

And people often tell me that I am _the best of my parents_.

 _"Ted, you have your father's dreamy copper hair and your mother's gorgeous blue eyes. I'm sure the girls are lined out of the door just for you!"_

 _"Ted, you think quick on your feet like your father with the book smarts of your mother."_

When I was a kid, my dad was my very best friend.

We did everything together. _Everything_. Baseball games, fishing, mountain biking. He taught me how to play the piano. He would read to me every night until I was able to start reading to him.

It wasn't until he started riding my ass that our dynamic changed. For some reason, my dad remained sweet and gentle with my sisters. Once I turned 15, he became much stricter with me. That's when I became a bonafide _mama's boy_.

Ana Grey was always the peace keeper in the house.

 _"Christian, you're blowing things way out of proportion. Teddy made a simple mistake. Please…go easy on him."_

I shake off the bittersweet memory and I make my way over to the showers outside of my room. When I return fifteen minutes later, damp and donning my robe, my cell phone is buzzing wildly against my wooden desk.

I'm startled.  
 _Who in the hell's calling me at 1:30 in the morning?_

I'm pretty sure that it's my mom. She's probably restless and worried sick about me – as usual. I didn't even bother to call her yesterday, so it's quite plausible that it's her.

When I retrieve the phone and view the screen, I see that it's _not_ Mom. It's Pops.

The man never sleeps.

 _Shit – what does he want?  
Did Mom make him call me?_

I pick up just before the call rolls into voicemail.

"Dad?"

"I'll keep this brief. I know what you've been up to. Stop it. Stop it _now_ ," he says angrily.

 _What in the hell is he talking about?_

My heart drops down to my gut.  
Suddenly, my eyes pan the entire room in search of hidden cameras.  
I'm extremely paranoid.

"Ted – you're not in college to fuck around with cheerleaders. You're there because you're next in line to take over the family business. You need to take this more seriously. There's way too much at stake here."

 _Fuck – how does he know about Rebecca?!_

"Yeah Dad…I got it."

"'Night, son."

He hangs up before I can answer back.  
I stand in place with the phone still in my ear, stunned.  
My mouth is agape.

Did he put fucking cameras in my dorm room?  
Did he or his henchmen just watch me receiving oral sex?  
The man knows _everything_. It's disturbing.

I wonder if Mom has ever had to deal with Dad stalking _her_?

* * *

 ** _A/N: I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. As you can see, this story will be multi-dimensional. Let me know your initial thoughts._**

 ** _Also, I plan on putting out the next chapter of my other incomplete story, "Taking Care of Business" over the weekend before updating chapter 2 of this tale. Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	2. Chapter 2 - Daughters

**Chapter 2 – Daughters**

 _Ana_

 _Tuesday, August 26, 2031_

I'm seated at the head of the table in a conference room on the 5th floor. A young woman from the IT team takes the floor and talks about some of the patents that GEH currently has pending. I listen intently, gently smoothing out the creases in my lap of my gray wool skirt suit ensemble. Suddenly, my phone buzzes on the table. I quickly pick it up and view the screen.

It's my eldest daughter.

 ** _Phoebe G.  
_** 3:30p: _When will you be home?_

 _Uh oh._ The tone of her text instantly alarms me.

 ** _Mom  
_** 3:31p: _I can head home as soon as I'm done with this meeting.  
Is everything okay?_

 ** _Phoebe G.  
_** 3:31p: _It's fine. I just need to talk to you about something._

 ** _Mom  
_** 3:32p: _Sure, I can call you the second I get back to my office._

 _ **Phoebe G.  
**_ 3:32p: _I want to talk in person. Can you come home before Dad?_

My eyes are agape. _This doesn't sound good. Not one bit._

 ** _Mom  
_** 3:33p: _Yes, I'll leave soon. You sure everything's fine?_

 ** _Phoebe G.  
_** 3:33p: _Yes mom, I swear. I just need to talk to you._

This is very un-Phoebe like. Normally, she just comes out and says whatever's bothering her.

 ** _Mom  
_** 3:33p: _Ok sweetie. I'll see you shortly._

I wonder what's going on. Phoebe just began her junior year of high school this week. I'm certain that she's in the process of narrowing down her college choices from her previous list of six. With stellar grades like hers, the world is truly her oyster. Perhaps she needs my advice to help her make up her mind.

Perhaps she will follow after her brother's footsteps and attend Stanford – although he might be long gone by the time Phoebe enrolls there the year after next. This semester, Teddy's taking over 20 credit hours and plans on enrolling in summer courses in order to accelerate his degree.

It's great that my son is so driven and focused on doing well and finishing up his degree way ahead of schedule. However, I'm afraid that he'll get burnt out. I'd rather he take his time and graduate in four years along with his peers. Then he could come home during summers and do an internship at Grey House before returning back to campus.

On the flip side, Christian thinks that Teddy's accelerative strategy is a great plan, which will allow him to put Teddy to work at Grey House full-time sooner rather than later.

Two minutes after sending the last text message to Phoebe, I kindly adjourn the meeting and head up the elevator to the 20th floor. When the doors part open, a warm, familiar face that has made me feel at home for the past twenty years greets me from behind the limestone reception counter. The kind early-middle-aged blonde dressed in a navy blue pants suit illuminates the lobby with her perfectly white teeth.

"Ana!"

"Hi Andrea! I'm here to grab my things and head home a little bit earlier today. Where's Lola?"

"She's meeting with the auditors on the 18th floor to gather that data you needed."

"Oh, that's great. Please thank her for me for all of her hard work on this," I implore.

"Absolutely. Lola's kicking butt. I really appreciate her sharp mind and drive. I just hope that she doesn't have the desire to branch out into other opportunities anytime soon. I need her work ethic up here – at least until I retire. I'm the only PA who's remained with you and Mr. Grey for all these years," she chuckles. I laugh right along with her.

"Well Andrea, you know that Mr. Grey and I have always encouraged you to explore new horizons if you so choose."

" _I know – I know_. But I absolutely love my job here and can't see myself doing anything else. It's awesome to see how this company has grown since I've first begun. I've also witnessed how you and Mr. Grey have evolved and raised such wonderful children," Andrea beams.

I blush at her kind words. It's both embarrassing and heartwarming at the same time. All parents want to know that they are doing a good job. It's wonderful to hear it coming from the outside, not just from family members.

"Who knows – maybe I'll see one of the Grey offspring working here before I retire," she giggles.

"Or perhaps one of your children will work here. They are so well mannered. Christian and I look forward to having you and your family over to our house for dinner again soon," I say warmly.

"Absolutely. It's always wonderful to visit you two outside of work. Oh…by the way, I was thinking about Lacy. Have you heard from her lately?" Andrea inquires.

Good ol' Lacy Stevens-Lund. She's a really good friend of mine as well as a former GEH employee. She has since moved east with her family. I really miss her.

"Lacy is doing great in Chicago. I keep up with her on social media. Her kids are growing up so fast. My, how time has gone," I sigh.

"Yeah, tell me about it. Glad to hear that Lacy's doing well. I won't keep you, Ana…I know you need to head home," she says, smiling warmly.

"I'll see you again in a second on my way out," I beam as I head to my office.

I quickly pack my workbag and place it on the surface of my desk along with my purse. At a quarter 'til four, I knock twice on the adjoining office door (as I always do) and enter. I witness Christian meeting with Ros and two other male executives, sitting at a table located a distance away from Christian's desk. Christian and the two other men immediately rise to their feet. I shake my head and motion my hand downward, urging them to take their seats. Christian remains standing while the two gentlemen reclaim their chairs.

"Sweetheart?" Christian says to me with a sparks of concern fluttering in his eyes. He approaches me and I meet him the rest of the way.

"I'm heading home now to get the girls situated with homework so Gail is freed up to start dinner. Reach me on my mobile if you need anything," I say to my husband in front of company.

"Sure. I'll be home in time for dinner," he responds lovingly. We partially embrace and he plants a sweet kiss on my cheek. I tighten my lips, disguising a grin and pat him gently on his back before releasing him. Even after all these years, PDA at work will never cease to feel awkward. But still, I adore it when Christian does it.

"See you when you get home," I murmur.

"Have a good night, Ana," Ros calls out, and the two other execs echo her. I kindly tell them all that I will see them tomorrow.

As I enter my office to grab my things from my desk and head on my way, I quickly recall years ago when Christian would constantly work late nights at Grey House. Fortunately over the years, although he has remained focused on his business, he makes certain that he's home in time so we can all eat dinner each night as a family.

….

When I arrive home an hour and a half after leaving Grey House, I can barely remove my trench coat when the girls all bum-rush me in the main room.

"Mommy! Mommy!" the twins echo each other as they throw their arms around me. I embrace them in return, laughing at their twin-unified voices and their child-like enthusiasm. I hope that they will never grow out of it. Brie is wearing a knee-length skirt with a t-shirt and jean jacket. Beth is in jeans and a colorful t-shirt. Phoebe falls in afterwards, compounding the _ball of Grey-girls_ embrace. She's wearing a fashionable overly washed gray long-sleeved shirt over a tank top and black jeans.

"Girls…hey!" I giggle; overwhelmed by the love I'm receiving from all three of them.

"Mom – _quickly_ …let's go talk privately in your office," Phoebe says, taking control once Beth and Brie release me from their grasp. I flinch in surprise, while the twins look at each other with a discrete smirk.

 _What's this all about?_

Before I can respond, Phoebe takes my coat and hands it over to Brie. Phoebe then takes my hand and leads me all the way to my study. She closes the door behind us. We both sit side by side on the nearby leather sofa facing the blank wall where the overhead projector would normally shine when it's powered on.

"So…I wanted to talk to you about something," she starts nervously.

For some reason, her nervousness has somehow transferred over to me.

"Sure, what is it?" I say, trying to remain composed on the outside.

"Do you remember Hanson Larkin?"

I narrow my eyes at her.  
 _Hmm…Hanson.  
_ Finally, a light bulb goes off.

 _Oh yeah…the kid who's mother named him after her favorite childhood boy band.  
_ I chuckle to myself at the absurdity.

"He played on the high school baseball team with Teddy," I recall. When Teddy was in high school, he would have Hanson and some of the other boys from the team hang out and play video games here at the house.

"Yes. Hanson received a full scholarship to play ball at UW where he's now a freshman," she says with a prideful smile.

Oh no. Where is she going with this?

"Wow, that's great. So what about him?"

"Well…I've been keeping in touch with him over social media from time to time. He told me over the summer that he had a crush on me back when he was in high school. He's always wanted to ask me out, but _um_ …"

My eyes gape wide at my beautiful teenage daughter. _Of course_ boys want to ask her out. I mean – _look_ at her. She's gorgeous _and_ brilliant with tons of friends at school. Who wouldn't want to take her out?

"Well – Dad sort of freaks him out. He's heard stories about Dad being… _strict_. I assume it was Teddy who got that in his head. Anyway, Hanson asked me out on a date this Saturday. He wants to do pizza and a movie. I'd really like to go," she says earnestly. I beam at her.

"Oh, how sweet. I really like Hanson. He's a nice young man," I respond.

"He is," she says with stars in her eyes.

"So – you like him?" I ask.

"Yes…I do," she sparks, and it absolutely melts my heart.

"Since I know Hanson's family, I'm good with the two of you going out on Saturday night. You'll just need the _okay_ from your father," I smile. Suddenly, Phoebe's spirit falls. I'm confused by her sudden change of mood.

"Well – I just figured that you'd say ' _yes'_ and keep this between us. If it makes you feel any better, you can drop me off at the mall and I can meet Hanson there…"

"Phoebe – _honey_ …you know that it doesn't work that way. We can't keep your father in the dark. I mean, why would you?" I say, perplexed.

"Mom." She narrows her eyes at me as if the answer's as clear as the day is long.

"What?" I say, confused by her reaction.

"You know he's going to want to take Hanson into his study, sit him down and ask him _a million_ questions," she sighs, frustrated.

"You're over exaggerating, sweetie. Your father may ask Hanson a couple of questions, but that's it. He only wants to make sure that you're safe… _that's all_."

"We have a freaking bodyguard that follows us everywhere, Mom. I mean, how much more safe can we be?"

"Look – I know Hanson's parents from fundraisers and the like. Your father has even met them on occasion. I don't foresee your dad saying ' _no._ '"

My oldest daughter painfully shuts her eyes and shakes her head, appearing to feel deeply misunderstood.

"Mom…can you just drop me off at the mall? God…I don't want to scare Hanson away by sicking _Mr. Christian Grey_ on him," she says, frustrated.

I sit and contemplate my daughter's sincere plea.

Christian has improved over the years. Yeah, he's still a bit _overly protective_ …to put it mildly – when it comes to the children and me especially. But surely, Christian isn't as bad as he used to be.

I think back to when I first told Christian that I was pregnant with Teddy. The plan was to wait several years before even considering having children. Yet nine months into our marriage, we were parents. There was a time when I thought it was quite selfish of Christian to fear so badly having children shortly after we got married. I would later discover that his reasons for wanting to delay the inevitable were much more complicated than I even realized.

While I was pregnant, we would have to wait. And wait. And wait. Nine months seemed like an eternity, and Christian _hated_ waiting. But there was something else that he hated even more than waiting.

Christian absolutely despised the _loss of control_. I found that out first hand in the worse possible way almost twenty years ago.

….

 _Tuesday, May 22, 2012  
(Flashback)_

I sit opposite my new husband at dinner at the table that we always sit at _The Mile High Club_ – his club located up high in the Columbia Tower. Instead of partaking in the food on my plate, I gnaw nervously on one side of my lip. Such an action would normally have a sensual affect on Christian. Not tonight.

Since this afternoon, I haven't been myself. And like the uncanny mind reader that he is, Christian can spot that something's wrong with me from a mile away.

"I've remained quiet the entire way here, hoping that you would fess up to what's going on with you. You haven't said a word. We get here and order dinner – which you haven't even touched. So when are you going to stop lying to me, telling me that everything's okay? Something's wrong, and you need to tell me. You haven't been the same since you returned to work from lunch. Yet, I have a feeling that you didn't even bother to eat lunch today." He's stern in his delivery.

 _Shit, how does he know that?_ Christian just read me like a book. I get even more nervous. _You're in public, Ana. This is great. You can tell him the news, and he can't yell at you in here._

I close my eyes. I silently mouth out the countdown: _"Five, four, three, two, one."_

With my eyes clench tightly, I quietly blurt it out.

"I'm pregnant."

I keep my eyes closed, in search for a sound… _any_ sound. I don't hear a sigh, a rush of hot air… _nothing_. Soon, I gradually open up my eyes, and his gaze is dead on me. He looks like he just saw a ghost.

" _What_?" he says quietly.

Oh no.

"I'm six weeks pregnant. _I_ …I saw Dr. Greene during my lunch break today. _She_ …"

" _H…how does that happen on the shot?_ " he gasps.

"Well, it was made apparent to me that I _um, er_ …missed the last scheduled shot due to _um_ …all of the wedding planning stuff… _and um_ …meetings… _and I_ …"

"You _what_?"

"Well normally the shot would've been strong enough to last even after being late for a dose by a week or two…or _three_ , in my case. Apparently, the last shot wasn't as potent," I explain. He looks to be in a daze.

"You missed a shot?" he says, dumbfounded.

"Well, yes I did. That's what I just said. But the previous shot should have…"

He blinks his eyes several times and he lifts up a hand, halting my spiel mid sentence.

"You _missed_ a shot. **You**. _You_ **missed** a shot," he murmurs a furious growl. His gorgeous face begins to turn red.

Wow…I almost wish that he could just yell at me at the top of his lungs than see him behaving like this. Seeing him quietly angry with me is heart retching.

"Christian, are you actually mad at me?"

"I am not _mad_. I'm fucking furious. What you did was both careless and stupid. Forgetting your shot? I can't believe that you would do that. And I can't believe that you would wait and fucking tell me _this_ … **here** ," he snaps at me discretely.

"I was scared how you would react." _I mean, isn't it obvious?_

He closes his eyes and rubs his hand over them repeatedly. He no longer picks up his fork or his glass of wine. He simply motions his head back and forth in the palm of his hand like he's trying to ease a headache.

"Christian…it's going to be fine…"

" **No**. _No._ You don't get to say that. You have absolutely no right to say that."

My heart falls into my stomach. I can't believe what I'm hearing right now. This man…who has proclaimed to love me _so much_. The same man who professed such heartfelt vows to me a month and a half ago.

 _"I give you my solemn vow to honor, cherish, protect, and to preserve our union. Forsaking all others, I will remain by your side in good times and bad, through sickness and in health, and through whatever else may come our way._

 _"I promise to love you with an undying love, to remain faithful to you and only you, and to always be there to share in your triumphs and heartbreaks._

I always thought a husband and a wife in love bringing a child into this world was considered a ' _triumph'_. Just when I thought he eased up on his stance towards having children. After bringing home a dog to reconcile after the shitty way he treated me during the first pregnancy scare we had.

Christian Grey, there are no more animals in existence that could ever undo the hurt you have literally brought to the table this evening.

I thought that this had all been worked out in therapy with Dr. Flynn during our twelve weeks of pre-marital counseling. Why is he still so terrified over having children?

This should be a happy time for us. Yeah – I know it didn't happen much later like we had hoped, but still…here we are. I'm pregnant _now_. There's absolutely no undoing this. It's already done.

After a few beats, the waiter comes over.

"We're finished. Charge it to my account," Christian says bitterly.

 _Holy shit._

"Very well, Mr. Grey," the waiter responds. Christian was so ice cold that the waiter couldn't leave our presence fast enough.

I watch Christian intently with tears prickling my eyes as he grabs the phone. He types out something on the BlackBerry keyboard. It soon buzzes and he puts it away.

"Meet Taylor downstairs. He will take you home," he says coldly.

Tears burst forth and stream down my face. I quickly wipe them away.

"Aren't you coming?"

"I need space to think. _You_ of all people should be able to relate to that."

 _Are you fucking kidding me, Grey?!_

He's throwing old shit back in my face! He's rehashing the time that I left his penthouse apartment after finding out that he did some sneaky, underhanded antics behind my back in regards to my salary and my brand new apartment.

" _We_ …we need to talk about this, Christian. This baby is going to be here whether we're ready for it or not… _and_ …"

He raises his hand up in a halting motion once more and closes his eyes in an expression that silently says: _'Anastasia, if you don't shut the fuck up right now…'_

I'm cut right down to the quick. My very own husband has just dehumanized me. The very same man who once said:

 _"I give you all that I have, for you are my all."_

Right now, I'm not witnessing the actions of a man who declared those very words in front of God, our family, and closest friends. As I sit in the crowded club, I couldn't feel more alone. I feel rejected. _Unloved._

Before I lose it right here in front of everyone in the club, I quietly stand to my feet and promptly walk away, leaving Christian sitting there, pissed off with his face rising and falling into his palms. He doesn't even look in my direction as I depart.

All the way down the elevator, I sob quietly into my trench coat. I could hear a few voices asking me if I'm okay, but I ignore them. The moment the elevator stops on the main floor, I dart out.

No…I'm not getting in the car with Taylor like this.  
No…I'm not going home. I don't want to be home, hoping…waiting for Christian to come back like _I'm_ the terrible person who betrayed my husband.

 _He_ betrayed me. In my most fragile state, instead of taking me into his strong, loving arms and telling me that everything's going to be okay… _we'll get through this together_ …he shunned me.

Well, if it's space he wants, it's space he will get.

 _Fuck him._

When I reach the lobby, I power down my BlackBerry and bypass the Fifth Avenue exit. I proceed to the nearest ATM, withdraw the maximum limit from my personal checking account, and exit through the doors leading out to Cherry Street.

I hail a cab and immediately jump in.

….

 _Thursday, May 24, 2012_

If I've learned nothing else these last two nights, I now understand the plight of a fugitive.

You have to learn how to be careful. Cautious. You can't leave any trace of your existence. Credit cards, technology are not your friend.

I feel terrible that my parents and friends are probably all worried sick about me. I've disappeared from the face of the earth for 48 hours.

Don't they say that the first 48 hours is key in locating a missing person before the trail runs cold? Perhaps time is finally on my side.

But how do I continue to live like this? I feel like a runaway child who has left with a pack of bubble gum and a handful of silver dollars wrapped up in a red bandana, hanging off of a broomstick.

After jumping in the taxi, I had the driver take me a good thirty minutes away from where I first started, but not anywhere in route to home or work. At my drop off point, I enter a coffee shop and pay a few bucks to use some kid's personal computer.

I locate a rideshare online that would take me out of Washington State that very night. The journey would take us well over sixteen hours. I was happy that the woman I rode with let me sit in the back seat and that she wasn't much of a talker. She could obviously tell that I was _not_ having a very good day. Midway, we would take turns driving while the other slept.

When I finally arrived at my destination the following night, I go into some cheesy souvenir shop to buy a couple of shirts, a pair of sweatpants, some underwear, deodorant, and a cheap pair of sandals. I was able to find a lower-end hotel that I could afford for the next day or two. After that, I have no clue how to get my hands on more money without going through electronic means.

Fuck – for all I know, he's not even searching for me.  
He's probably like: _'Well, good riddance to you and that damned baby that I never wanted'_.

As soon as my head hit the pillow Wednesday night in my hotel room, _'survival mode'_ switches off and I immediately break down. I weep throughout the night.

It's now another night _on the run_. Thankfully, I'm way too depressed to even waste the little money that I do have on food. I've been functioning on water and free saltine crackers from the buffet condiment station. Hell – I know I should be eating more being that I'm pregnant and all.

After my latest snack of crackers and water, I follow my instinct and stake my corner at a machine. _I can feel it in my bones. This is it. This is the one._

I sit down carefully on a stool, slide in my ticket into the machine, and pull the lever.  
I need to hit it big tonight. I'm rationing out fifty bucks just for tonight. If I come out empty, it's fifty more for tomorrow. I only need to win enough cash to live off of for as long as possible without calling home.

 _Ding – ding – ding – ding_

 _Yes!_ If I weren't in the process of hiding away from my grouchy husband, these small incremental winnings would feel even more victorious.

I increase my bet slightly and I pull the lever once more. Suddenly, I feel an eerie rush of cold air that makes the hair on the back of my neck and on my arms stand on end. I feel a presence entering my space. I'm frozen in place, unable to turn and look around me.

Instead, I take in a whiff of air, relying on my newfound _'Spidey'_ senses (thanks to the joys of pregnancy). _Yep…that smell._ My heart drops down to my toes. I close my eyes. I soon reopen them, focusing back on my machine. I pull the lever once more.

" _What. Are. You. Doing._ "

I hear his voice say the words quietly and sharply. I sigh.  
 _How in the fuck did he find me here?_

I decrease my bet on the touchscreen and pull the lever, ignoring him.

"Anastasia, look at me. _Please_."

After the numbers on the video screen quit moving, I turn to my right and look up as my husband stares down at me. It is not the same angry, cold face that I sat across from two nights ago. This man looks lost and afraid. He lowers down and takes a seat at the slot machine next to mine. He swivels his chair over and locks his gaze into mine.

Suddenly, my thoughts go back to the year before where the two of us sat side by side at a different casino here in Las Vegas. Ironically, he was trying to convince me at the time why we couldn't be together.

 _Perhaps I should have listened to him back then. I could have saved myself from getting my heart pulverized in his blender of secrets and deception._

And it's on that thought that I start crying right there on the spot.

" _No Bunny, no_. Don't cry. Please… _don't cry_ ," he coos.

He pulls me into his arms and wraps me up tight. I don't fight him, but I don't hold him in return. I simply bury my face into his buttoned-up shirt. I begin to sob even louder before I remember myself and remember what he did to me two days ago.

"How did you find me here!?" I cry muffled into his chest.

"Ana, I will _always_ find you. I _love_ you."

I sob even louder. I loose myself from his hold and dry as many tears as I can with my campy black ' _Viva Las Vegas'_ t-shirt. He hands me a handkerchief. _Yes, I need to see clearly so I can look him square in his eye._ When I can see again, he looks absolutely sincere and remorseful, but I'm not buying the shit. _Nope_ …not one bit _._

"How can you say that after how badly you treated me the other night!" I cry.

"Ana…I'm fucked up in the head – you know this. Look…let's get out of here and talk. I got us a room over at the Four Seasons. It's the _Presidential Suite_."

Of course he did. It's the very same hotel we stayed at when he and I first came to Vegas on business together almost a year ago. This time around, I won't be staying two floors under him. And although we are married now, I'd rather do anything _but_ stay in the same place as this man. I don't give a shit how big that suite is.

"Christian… _I don't_ …"

"Ana, _please_. I'm ready to talk now."

 _Now_ he wants to talk. The time to talk was 48 hours and 1100 miles ago.

"Christian… _look_ – I know that you don't want this baby…"

"Ana, look – you don't understand. I need you to understand. _Please_ …let's go and talk. I've brought you some clothes from home. Let's talk…okay?" he says, practically throwing himself down at my feet with his plea.

And as much as I want to tell him to ' _kiss my lily-white ass'_ , I oblige and follow him out of the casino, leaving my eighty-dollar ticket in the slot machine.

Hopefully _someone_ gets lucky on my dime because _my_ luck just ran out.

….

I've showered and put on underwear and lounging wear that doesn't scratch my skin like the other clothes that I was wearing did. Christian waits for me in the main room with room service spread across the dining table.

"You need to eat, Anastasia. I can tell by the pale look on your face that you haven't been eating."

And _Fifty Shades_ is back – in full effect.

"You said that you wanted to talk. _Talk_ then," I snap, completely ignoring his orders. A look of humility soon washes over him.

"Sit," he says, motioning me. I reluctantly take a seat. He turns a chair, positions it across from me, and is seated facing me. He then carefully takes both of my hands in his. I don't pull my hands away, but I turn my head away from him.

 _I'm too upset to look at him._

"Ana, _baby_ …look at me."

Don't you ' _baby'_ me, Grey. You abandoned me.

After a few beats, with tears returning in my eyes, I finally look at him.

"The woman who gave birth to me was addicted to drugs even while she carried me. I still to this day don't know who my biological father is."

I sigh. "Christian…I know all of this already. What you're saying to me is nothing new. It doesn't explain why you were so nasty to me for being pregnant," I sob gently.

"Look. There is research that shows that certain behaviors…certain physiological and psychological attributes that can be passed on from generation to generation. For me, it wasn't drugs – but it was the BDSM lifestyle. It was the fear of intimacy, which you cured me of, Ana. _You_ did that."

I laugh and shake my head.

"I wouldn't say that you are completely _cured_ , Christian."

"Ana…I am. But what I'm afraid of is that our child… _this_ baby…"

He suddenly releases my hands and begins to rub his hand against my belly. I shiver at the gesture. _He's touching the baby. He's finally acknowledging the baby._

"He _or_ she might not be so lucky. This baby may end up with the sick and twisted desires that either me or the crack whore had…"

"Christian, I told you _never_ to call your birth mother that again. She was ill. She couldn't help it."

" _Fine_ …my _birth_ mother. And no telling what mental sickness her sperm donor had. I don't want to pass down my poison onto this baby. I _don't_!"

My heart now aches for this poor, sad, misled soul sitting right before me. My damaged husband who I thought I helped to put back together again. Well, that's what his family keeps telling me. Apparently, they were wrong. We were _all_ wrong. There are still remnants of his past haunting him.

"Christian…as long as this baby has love and attention – two of the things that you didn't get until the Greys adopted you, that's all this baby will need. I am nothing like your birth mother…"

"Baby…I _never_ , **ever** said that. I would never say that. _You_ …you are wonderful, Ana. You're nothing like her."

"And neither are you, Christian. You are nothing like her, either. You are protective, and loving. Look, you even went out of your way to find me here. I know without a shadow of doubt that you will always be there for this baby and keep it safe." I gaze over at my husband with a look of comfort and understand. I now understand the pain he felt that night at his club the moment I told him that I was pregnant.

 _I get it._

"I just want everything to be okay again. When you walked out of the club, I was mad at you. Then when Taylor called to tell me that you never made it out to the car, I saw my very life flash before my eyes. I thought that I lost you – _forever_."

"Christian, you can't treat me like dog shit and expect for everything to be just _honkey dory_! It's not right!"

"I know baby…I know," he says, taking me by both hands as he gets down before me on both knees.

"I'm _so_ , so sorry. Please Ana…forgive me. I will never shut you out again. _Ever_. You just can't go leaving me like that again. You know that I suffer from separation anxiety – especially when it comes to you," he says with a pitiful face. I frown at him.

"And _you_ can't be telling me to get out of your face like that without opening up to me. It shouldn't take me leaving thousands upon thousands of miles away from home in order for you to want to talk to me."

"Baby, I know. I will never do that again. I promise. I was so scared when you left. I didn't know what to do. You turned your phone off. I had my best people on you working 24/7 to narrow down your location. You are _really_ sneaky," he says, none too pleased.

"Well, I've obviously learned something after a year of being stalked by you. Don't make me finally master getting lost."

"Ana, don't even joke about that. I don't want you ever walking out on me again. _Please_."

"Did you call my parents?"

"No. I knew that you wouldn't contact them."

"What about Lacy and everyone else at work?"

"I told them that you were away on personal business. I stayed home yesterday working diligently with my team to find you. You damn near gave me a heart attack, Ana!" he snaps.

Now he's mad at me again. When will this crazy roller coaster ride with _fifty_ twists and turns ever cease?

"I couldn't go home to you, not after how bad you treated me after telling you that I was carrying _your_ child."

" _Our_ child," he corrects me.

"So how did you find me?" I ask once again.

"I'm not telling you," he says angrily.

"What?" I say, gaping at him.

"I'm not revealing intel in case you get some other crazy idea."

"And why would I even dare contemplate leaving you if you promised not to behave as poorly as you did two nights ago? You should feel confident in telling me how you found me in the first place since I won't leave – _right_? Since you're done with treating me like shit."

"Baby…I won't stop apologizing. I was absolutely horrible."

"Yes, you were."

"I was an asshole. A prick. I'm not worthy of your forgiveness, much less your love."

He looks at me, but I say nothing.

"You can stop me at any moment now," he says.

"No…you're fine. Keep going."

A big smile forms on his face and he starts to laugh. Soon, I forget all about me, these past two shitty days, and I begin laughing right along with him.

Yes, my husband is _fucked up_. He has his major flaws. But I know inside of that taut and toned chest of his lies a true heart of gold. It's the very same heart that will always protect _not only me_ , but also this little blip of a human being that's currently taken up residence inside of me.

"Tomorrow morning, we will return home on the jet. Monday evening, you and I will see Dr. Flynn. _Okay_?" he proposes, still on his knees. I stare at him, not responding.

I'm so confused right now. I'm hurt, but for multiple reasons now. But at the same time, I want our marriage to work out too. I love this man.

"I want our marriage to survive this, Ana. I love you more than life itself. I want to be a better husband for you. And I promise to work hard to learn how to be a good father for our child whenever he or she gets here. I promise." He kisses both of my hands before searching my eyes for a reaction.

" _Okay_ ," I whisper with tears in my eyes.

….

 _Tuesday, August 26, 2031_

 _(The present)_

I sit up in bed with a book open in my lap, but I'm not reading it. I'm somewhere in _la-la land_ , daydreaming about past events. Soon, Christian crawls into bed right beside me, breaking me out of my trance.

"Does reading by osmosis actually work?" he says, joking.

"I wished that it did."

I finally close the book and place it on the bedside table.

"You know, it's 2031 and they have these very cool virtual reality books out now that will even read to _you_."

"Christian, you know that I'm old fashioned when it comes to my literature," I spark.

He leans over to me and wraps his arms around me before kissing me on the lips.

"I've always loved that about you, Mrs. Grey. I hope that you never change."

"That's one thing you can count on," I flirt back. He kisses me once more. Soon, his lips move down to my neck, and I know _exactly_ what he's up to.

"Hey…I need to talk to you about something first," I preface. He hums in acknowledgement, but doesn't stop ravaging my neck.

"It's about our daughter."

He stops kissing me.

" _Which_ daughter?"

"Miss Phoebe Grace – our oldest and all-star high school student," I beam at him, laying it on thick. He sees right through it and narrows his eyes, waiting for me to elaborate.

"Well, she texted me at work today. She's the real reason why I left the office earlier than usual."

" _Oh_? What did she need?"

"Well, she wanted to _um_ …talk to me about something."

His eyes narrow at me even more so, but I decide to hurry up and fill up the quiet space with more words before he can speculate on anything negative.

"You remember that nice young man, Hanson Larkin? He was a good friend of Teddy's back in high school and his baseball teammate."

Christian is still frowning at me, and I don't understand why.

"You know… _Hanson_. He used to come over here and play video games with Teddy and the other fellas. You met his parents, _the Larkins_ who run that pharmacy over on Rose Avenue. They contribute to several of the charities that we work with."

" _Okay_?" he says, shrugging his shoulders. I'm taken aback by his indifference, but I decide to just close the deal, advocating for Phoebe and her desire to go out with this nice young man.

"Well, Hanson asked Phoebe out on a date this Saturday and she would like to tell him ' _yes'_. I told her that I would be totally fine with it if you agree to it," I preface.

Christian tightens his lips in a straight line, tilts his head over to the side and nods in contemplation. _Even after twenty years, I still can't read this man._

"I appreciate that our daughter was mature enough to come to you and ask before making the call."

Christian's reaction astounds me.

"Yeah, I know. But that's just how Phoebe is. She's never been sneaky or underhanded. She's always been open and honest with us," I say, singing the praises of our eldest daughter.

"Exactly – unlike like that knuckle-headed big brother of hers."

" _Christian_ ," I snap.

"Well it's true. Phoebe has shown so much maturity for her age," he says warmly.

"Yes, I know. I'm so astounded by our little- _big girl_. She's going to do great things."

"Absolutely," he concurs.

"So you agree with me? I can give her the good news in the morning that she can confirm her date for Saturday?"

"What?! _Wait_ …I didn't agree to that. The answer is _no_ – _absolutely not_."

 _Oh no._ I gasp at my husband who has seemingly pulled a world record breaking 180-degree turn in a manner of milliseconds.

"Christian, you just said that Phoebe is mature. She's at that age now to start dating. She'll be going to prom next year…"

"The answer is ' _no'_ , Ana. She is not going on some date. She needs to focus on her studies and not on boys. Besides, isn't that kid in college now? He's way too old for her anyway."

 _Are you serious, Grey? No…you can't be._

"Christian, Hanson is just a college freshman. Phoebe is a junior in high school. It's not even close to a _May-December_ romance."

"First of all, there is no… _romance_ here. Phoebe is just a child. Secondly, I'll be damned if my daughter goes out on a date with some punk named after the fuckers who sang a song titled: _'MMMBop'_. "

"Christian, _stop_. You sound so crazy right now."

"I'm only crazy for you, Mrs. Grey," he says, pulling me into his arms. I block his advances.

" _Stop_! Look, I'm perfectly fine with Hanson. I _like_ Hanson. Please, Christian…let her go out. They're only doing pizza and a movie at the mall."

"Anastasia, I don't know how many other ways there are to say the word ' _No_.' _Non_? _Nein_? _Niet_? Either way, the answer is still ' _hell no'_."

"Christian, you are being unreasonable."

"Oh, _am I_?" he says, sounding indignant.

"Yes, you are. Phoebe is a good girl and Hanson is a nice young man."

"And he's also _eighteen_ and our daughter is only _sixteen_. Isn't that considered statutory rape?"

Oh, no he did _not_ just go there. He of all people has some nerve.

Instead of arguing with him and saying something that I would later regret, I pinch my lips tightly and lay down on my pillow, turning my face away from him.

"Ana?"

"Christian, sixteen years old is the age of consent in Washington State," I mutter.

"I won't even ask how you knew that," he scoffs in a bitter tone.

I spring up from my pillow and glare at him.

" _Of course_ I looked it up."

"Well…I don't care if the age of consent is fourteen in fucking Washington State, the answer is still _'no'_."

"I don't understand you one bit, Christian. Phoebe is a good girl and she's going to be seriously bummed when I tell her that she can't go out on her first date with that nice young man."

"Well…the kid's _okay_ as far as I can tell…but I still don't trust him with my daughter," he says with a critical glare in his eye.

His words and expression take me by surprise. I linger on it for a beat and then my eyes grow round and wide. _Oh no. Please don't tell me…_

"First of all… _our_ daughter. Second of all, where is this coming from? Did you know that Hanson and Phoebe were communicating before I told you so?" I ask.  
Christian says absolutely nothing.

And here we go once again.

First me, then Teddy…now poor Phoebe is getting a bitter taste of her overly zealous father and his penchant for stalking out our every move as well as the people we're in contact with.

Will this vicious cycle ever cease?

…

 _Ted_

 _Tuesday, August 26, 2031_

It's ten o'clock at night. Here in the library, it's not necessarily empty. There are many other students present, but they are spread throughout the building, leaving wide gaps of open spaces in between. I sit in the computer lab, the only person present in the second from the last row of workstations.

I close out of the classwork portal for one of my courses before launching a discrete browser. I pull up a social media site and I search for a name in particular. See, I've learned from past missteps. I don't do searches on a certain individual using the MacBook Ultra that my parents bought me.

People on campus may think that I'm a dick, and I do pretty well maintaining that front. They think that I have the entire world right in the palm of my hand and that I'm just some spoiled rich kid with everything going for me. They might even be eager to trade places with me in an instant. But the moment they realize what they'd be sacrificing just to have the last name ' _Grey_ ' they'd quickly reconsider.

The 24/7 surveillance.  
The scolding and the controlling.  
It fucking sucks.  
But here's the funny thing. I believe that as soon as I am exactly where my dad wants me to be, he will finally lay off of me and let me live the rest of my life as I see fit.

Sure Pops, I'll run your multi-billion dollar company. However, once I'm at the helm, I will finally be in control of my life. I can put barriers in place to make sure that no one else has a say in where I hang out, who I hang out with…or who I fall in love with.

 _And there she is.  
_ I see that she's posted a new selfie at the bar with a few of her girlfriends. She's just having a grand ole time.

 _Damn – she looks so happy._ I feel a slight pang in my chest.

This is Sophie's final year at UW, which is understandable why she's having her last hurrah with a group of friends, including her five roommates. In theory, Sophie should've graduated a year ago. However midway into her studies, she decided to change her major from nursing to hospitality. This change required her to have to take an entirely new set of core classes.

While she's not taking class, Sophie works part time at a nearby Marriott hotel. I've often thought about surprising her and popping up at her job. But as you know, that would never work because I'm constantly being followed. _Bummer_.

It doesn't surprise me that Sophie would aspire to work in the hospitality field. Growing up, she was a natural at helping people. She would often assist her dad and stepmom with things over at the big house – which my family lived in – as well as in the house where _her_ family lived. Sophie would also volunteer her services to my parents whenever she was around us.

Hospitality is a very admirable profession. If anyone were to ask my father if hospitality was a good profession, he would probably say ' _yes_ '. However, when it comes to his own children dating someone who aspires to be in that field – especially me in particular – my father would abhor it. What may be good for someone else's kid isn't necessarily good enough or any child of Christian Grey's.

My father may pretend to not be all _high and mighty_ , but when it comes to _me_ , there just isn't a girl out there good enough to be in my presence as far as he's concerned. The very thought drives me absolutely bonkers.

I don't fucking understand why he is such a hypocrite. He himself came from extremely humble beginnings – although I don't know all of the details about his life before my grandparents adopted him. He's often quite clipped whenever I ask him about it. I've even tried to ask my mom, but she'd always reply with: _"That's your father's story to tell."_ Grandma and Grandpa Grey take the exact same stance.

I don't get it. Everyone knows all of the details about their parents' childhood… _right_? Why is everyone so protective when it comes to my father's first four years of life? I'll never understand it for the life of me.

And _Mom_ …it's like she can't make a call without Dad co-signing it. When she caught Sophie and I making out that day, she _insisted_ on telling Dad about it. She knew goddamn well that he would completely lose his shit, which she absolutely _hates_. Yet, it didn't stop her from ratting me out.

So when Dad confronted me about it, I eventually professed to him that I was in love with Sophie. His reaction led me to believe that if I were to tell him that I was an ax murderer, he would have taken that revelation better than me simply declaring my love for his live-in employees' daughter.

From that moment on, Sophie never came on the property again. Not too long after we were found out, I would attempt to meet with Sophie secretly somewhere in the city. That effort didn't get very far. Dad had eyes everywhere. When I would become even more creative with reaching out to Sophie, even she began to push me away.

Brokenhearted, I asked her why. _Why the sudden change of heart? Did my father get to her?_ She never would say. From that moment on, I always had the goal of finding some way back to her. I even chose a college on the west coast in order for her to come find me if she wanted to. But it was to no avail. Sophie has simply moved on.

The sad part is that I haven't been able to move on. I'm still stuck in the past, asking ' _why'_ over and over again.

 _Why didn't you fight for us, Sophie?_

* * *

 ** _A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! I'm sorry for the long delay. I ask that you forgive any mistakes in this chapter since my marvelous beta for this story has been unable to proof due to more pressing issues._**

 ** _In the next chapter, we find out that Christian has remained steps ahead of his daughter. In spite of this, he decides to have a heart-to-heart with the young man interested in dating his daughter – much to Phoebe's chagrin. Later, Ana is caught in between a rock and a hard place when her daughter begins to shut her out and confide in someone else over her recent dilemma._**

 ** _Teddy continues to watch Sophie from a distance, hoping to find some way to reach out to her without getting caught._**

 ** _Just a forewarning for those who may fear that this tale is going to be about the "mean parents" going against the "good kids": Please bear with me as I take you on a journey. This is the first time Christian gets to experience a daughter wanting to date, so of course the overprotective dad will be polishing his figurative shotgun, (hint at the next title chapter, haha!). It's something that he's going to have to get over, just like all loving parents. However, the scenario with Ted is a little more complicated than Phoebe's. He's the only male offspring, so there's a ton of pressure riding on him to meet a certain expectation. There are also additional outliers that will be revealed as the story moves on._**

 ** _Please let me know what you think of the tale so far. I have a FB account now if anyone cares to friend me. You can find me at username "storietella2". I've also started a Pinterest page for "Family Business" You can find that under the username "storietella". Thanks everyone! – ST2_**


	3. Chapter 3 - Cleaning This Gun

**_A/N: Apologies in advance for the super long chapter. Enjoy!_**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 – Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)**

 _Ted_

 _Thursday, August 28, 2031_

So last night, my Project Management professor shoots me an email demanding that I meet with him in his office today between the hours of one and three o'clock. No details. Just –

 _"Ted, it is urgent that we meet tomorrow. Let me know what time works best for you."_

I didn't even bother to ask if I did something wrong. I just assumed that if I did, he wouldn't be the one reaching out to me. If I royally fucked up, you'd better believe that someone from student affairs would be contacting me instead. As I make my way over to Professor Ship's office at the Graduate School of Business building, a few familiar faces stop me along the way. They're mostly _female_ faces.

"Hey Ted – I haven't seen you hanging around Rebecca since we began fall classes. Did you guys break up?" one overly enthusiastic girl says.

"Rebecca and I have always been _just friends_ ," I reply.

"Well, maybe I'll see you around some time," another girl winks.

"I'm sure you will," I say as I quickly turn on my heel and continue on my way.

The fellas that I socialize with often ask me how come I never take full advantage of these girls more than I do. It's as if they are envious at how much these attractive females approach me, even though I often behave like a jerk.

 _"But see…the bitches love it! They love Grey because he doesn't give a shit about them. Hot girls don't want a 'nice' guy…they wants a bad boy."_

My pal Zac would often say this to our other buddies right in front of me. I'd just sit back with a nonchalant expression on my face. It's one of the few moments when I don't have a snarky comeback.

I'm not intentionally shitty to women. In fact, I _love_ women. I come from a household full of women – strong, intelligent, and very open. I would never intentionally treat a woman lesser than her worth.

And that _thing_ with Rebecca the cheerleader, you ask? Well, she hounded me for months at different parties. And when she wasn't making good enough progress with me one-on-one, she would send her sorority and cheerleader friends after me.

 _"Hey, do you like Rebecca? I think she really digs you."_

And…

 _"I think you and Rebecca would make such a cute couple! You guys look perfect together. She's hot, you're hot…"_

Then you had some of those ' _friends'_ that Rebecca would send my way on her behalf who would secretly throw her under the bus.

 _"Between you and me, I think Rebecca's a hoe. I'm_ _ **nothing**_ _like her. I'm a traditional girl. Not sure if that's more your speed. I can tell that fast girls don't hold your attention for very long."_

Yes – a traditional girl is more my speed. The problem is, there's only one _traditional girl_ that I'm interested in, and she doesn't attend Stanford.

I'm not sure why all of these girls continue to pursue me. I'm not the least bit interested. Sure, I like getting blown like the next guy, but after while…it's just a blowjob. And sex is just sex. To me, it means nothing unless it's with someone that you truly care about.

I look at couples such as my parents. You can tell that after twenty years, Christian and Ana Grey are just as in love as they were way back when. When they don't think anyone's watching – I catch the way their eyes light up when they look at each other from across the dinner table. The subtle way my dad places a hand right at the dip in her back and the way she tilts her head and leans against his shoulder blade. No doubt, these are two people _in love_.

I would often ask my mother to tell me stories about when they first met. Hearing her tales about how Dad would surprise her with trips to Cabo and Australia absolutely blew my mind. He's completely different with my mother than he is with anyone else. He's _vulnerable_ with her. He's _safe_ with her.

I've often heard that men generally gravitate toward women who are very similar to their mother. For some guys, this would be a living nightmare. For me, this would be a dream come true.

I'd often witnessed the same kind, benevolent spirit that's in my mother _in Sophie_. She is always willing to help others in need. Always willing to sit and listen instead of always talking about _her_. Yeah – I guess my mother is my _dream girl_. However, she's taken and not to mention – that would be beyond sick. I'm not down with the Oedipus scene.

Sophie Taylor is the only girl that I have met that comes remotely close to having similarities to my mother. But she's also so much more. Sophie is the complete package.

Finally, I make it to Professor Ship's office. The door is open and he looks right up at me as I enter.

"Ted…please, close the door and take a seat," he says from behind his desk.  
After a few beats, I'm sitting before him.

Ship looks like a man closer to my grandfather's age than my father's age. However, rumor has it that he's actually much closer to Dad's age. _Whoa_ – he's obviously lived a rough life…but to be fair, the only thing that dates my father are the grays in his hair. Other than that, Christian Grey does not look his age in the slightest. Same with my mother, who I'm not even sure has a single gray hair yet.

Ship is wearing a dated plaid shirt and matching brown corduroy pants. I swear – he practically exited a time machine straight out of the decade when my parents were born. His dark rimmed glasses are the only fashionable thing on his person. His balding hair, fuzzy gray and brown, is cut very close to his scalp.

Professor Ship's been on staff for about five years. Most of the classes that he teaches are located here at the graduate school. Before that, he worked as a top executive at a Fortune 500 company. He'd eventually take a buyout during a downturn and return to California with his wife and kid to work here at his alma mater.

I had Ship for a different business class last school year, which was an anomaly since he normally doesn't teach brand new business students. Unfortunately, the prior professor slated to teach the class had to drop out due to a bout with cancer – which she'd later persevere through. Thankfully, cancer isn't the death sentence that it used to be back when my parents were younger.

I could tell at the time that Ship wanted to be in that intro class even less than I did. Yes, _Intro to Business_ was such a colossal waste of my time. I was already born with business aptitude. Hell – my parents are the ultimate global business power couple for crying out loud. I worked part-time in my junior and senior years of high school under them for cooperative educational credit.

But as time went on, Ship was happy that he took a step back and was able to shape talented new students just entering Stanford. By the end of that semester, Ship approached me to take him again this semester for his special advanced Project Management course. I didn't know at the time that he and the leadership in the School of Business literally handpicked all of the students in this class. Hell…the class isn't even listed in the course catalog.

I laugh to myself at the parallels that my short life has taken so far. I grew up loving planes, trains, cars…and yes, ships. My parents' company is huge on transportation. _Boat_ is the oldest method of global transit around, and until the concept of teleportation comes into fruition, it will be here to stay.

I grew up on boats…loving them, admiring them. It's one of the many things that my father and I bonded over back when I was a kid. Now, I'm in college and one of the first professors on campus to make a significant impact on me is named ' _Ship'_. It's serendipity at its finest.

"So Ted – per usual, we started the first day of class off on the wrong foot," he begins. His expression is unreadable.

 _Oh shit._ My lips tighten up. _Is he going to kick me out of his class?_ I remain quiet and attentive.

"You always come across as extremely arrogant to your peers. A _know-it-all_. You can be a professor's living nightmare. I've actually even talked to a few of your professors here – both past and present – about you."

 _Double shit._ Yeah, this doesn't sound good. Although, I can't be too worried about getting kicked out of a class that doesn't technically exist on record. I mean…the course credit would appear on my transcript at the end of the semester – that's if I stay and don't get kicked out. But still, there's no way of my parents knowing or even caring if I got released from this class. As long as there isn't a bad letter grade recorded on my transcript – everything's peachy.

However, I'd personally care since I truly dig Professor Ship. I've even managed to turn some classmates impressions of me around over the past couple of days. Don't get me wrong; I'm still quite the smart ass. However, I'd like to think that I've backed up some of my words with action. I even have classmates, who I recently met this week emailing me already…asking me for my help on assignments.

"You are the quintessential shit talker, Grey. You use this rough persona to build up this wall all around you that's difficult to penetrate. I really don't know what your deal is," he says, and he's looking up to the ceiling as if he's searching for the answer to fall down on his lap.

 _Damn – he's reading me. I don't like it. I don't need a shrink._

"But in spite of your smart mouth, your work truly speaks for itself. Look, if you came down here to my office all on your own – _without my urging_ – and sat down exactly where you are seated now – and asked me: _Ship…what do you think I should do with my life? I need your advice._ You know what I'd say to you?"

I blink at him. I don't necessary feel comfortable with what's taking place right now, so I'm afraid to even hear his response. In spite of this ill feeling, I urge him onward.

"What?"

"I'd tell you to pack up your shit, leave Stanford at once, and return to Seattle immediately."

Reflexively, my eyes are now agape. _What?! I thought that I was kicking ass here!_ Most recently, I turned in probably one of the best papers that I have ever written. It was about managing vendor/supplier relationships and how to handle conflict and unmet expectations. It was a masterpiece. I was even tempted to send it to Dad for him to proofread it first, but I was way too pissed at him. You remember…that phone call where he gave me so much shit after Rebecca snuck out of my dorm. _Again, how does he fucking know everything that I'm up to from over 800 miles away?_

"You don't belong here, Ted. You are cut from the exact same cloth as your father. Christian Grey is a masterful businessman of our time who only found himself after he dropped out of Harvard many eons ago after his second year there. This is _your_ second year. I can tell that you are frustrated when you have to sit in these classes, learning things that are seemingly useless to you. But it's not just me who sees it. All of the professors I've talked with feel the same exact way. You are being restrained. Held back. You have a very powerful and innovative mind, Ted Grey. You don't need the boundaries that institutions such as this one often impose on brilliant minds such as yours."

I'm floored.

" _Wh_ …what? Are you telling me to drop out?" I gasp.

"Well no, I'm not telling you to do that. I'm _technically_ not allowed. I'm just saying ' _hypothetically'_ …if you asked me what you should do with your life… _tha_ t would be my response to you. Legally, I can't force you to drop out. Do I want you to leave? _No_ – you are an absolutely joy to work with, Ted. And that paper you turned in Tuesday night…I've read it over five times already. I haven't even posted a grade for it yet."

"I noticed," I chuckle. He's normally very quick with grading our work – probably the fastest professor here when it comes to that.

"I can't even grade a paper like that. It's…way beyond anything that I could teach from a textbook. It's shit that your peers will never learn because they are stuck here reading textbooks written by people who have never even bothered working at some of the top firms that they expect their students to study up on. You will be thrilled to know that your International Marketing course, which I presume you will be taking next semester, has just updated their textbooks to include an entire chapter on _Grey Enterprises Holdings, Incorporated_ as a spotlight organization and a case study. I say that it's about damn time," he beams.

I close my eyes. I'm actually pained – not honored by Ship's words. _Dammit, I've fallen into the shadows of my father once more._ Sure…I'm in college because I want to be, and yes, also at my father's (and mother's) urging. Dad's often stressed that I should do what he has failed to do, which is finish up my college degree. But at the end of the day, I'm doing this for myself. _Not for Dad. Not for Mom._ _ **Me**_ _._ I need to prove to myself that I am not my father by doing something even he has never done. Yet here and now, I have a professor telling me that I'm _literally_ too cool for school.

 _Just like my Daddy._

"Look, Professor Ship – I appreciate your kind words, but I am here to learn. I might act like a prick sometimes, but I know good and well that I don't know everything there is to know about _business_. That's why I'm here," I argue.

"I know, Ted. And even though you may seem disinterested at times, I can tell that you are still eager to learn. Look – like I said, I'm not urging you to drop out. I don't even expect you to. But if you did decide to…you'd only soar beyond the highest of heights in the business world. I have zero doubts about that. What I do regret is not being in the field anymore and having the opportunity to work with the likes of you," he beams.

Again, it's touching that he feels this way about my _potential_ , but I keep the same unreadable, stoic expression on my face.

"I hope you don't mind, but I shared your paper last night with my boss, the dean of the school of business. He read it immediately and wants you to expound on it and have it published in the next GSB Journal," Ship says.

 _What?!_

"But I'm not a graduate student. I'm just a sophomore," I contest.

"It's unheard of, I know. But that's just how much the dean loved your paper. It's unlike anything he's ever seen from an undergraduate student. You have an unfair advantage to your peers, Grey. You know all of this shit that we teach in your sleep. I'd even feel comfortable enough to sit out a class and let you teach it," he laughs.

I'm feeling extremely uncomfortable right now. How do Mom and Dad even deal with people kissing their ass all the time? I can't see myself ever enjoying this. It makes me feel…uneasy.

"I knew that paper was beyond scope when I wrote it. However, I never expected for it to grow legs. Look, I still have a lot to learn, even if my attitude doesn't always show it all of the time. If you think I'm doing way too much here, I will dial it back – _promise_ ," I say quickly.

"Never! Don't ever shortchange yourself _or_ your teachers, Ted. Just like you learn from us, we professors learn from our students. I'm no longer out there in the field. As a man in my early 50's, my circle of friends is as big as it's going to get. Without the insight of young, brilliant minds like yours, I'd never learn anything new. Times and technology are constantly changing. Your generation has a handle on that and it's your job to keep us old folks honest and in line."

Fair enough. But still – why did he feel the need to share my paper with the dean? I have a feeling that this meeting is more than what he's telling me at the moment.

"Back to the business at hand. As far as your vendor relations paper that I absolutely refuse to grade – I will give you some additional bullet points as a map you can use in order to expand your composition for the GSB Journal. It'll probably end up being 10-15 pages max. How long do you think you'll need to wrap this up?"

" _Hmm_ …maybe a week? I'm taking more than a full load of classes right now, but I'm not working part time or anything. I can swing it in a week's time."

"Alright…good. I'll give you two weeks, just to be on the safe side. Again, I'm not going to grade your paper. Just keep showing up for class – take all of the exams, which I'm certain you'll ace. Since you're doing the journal article, you won't have to do the big project management case study for a final grade in my class. As far as I'm concerned, you already have your _'A'_ from me. And I'm saying this to you during the very first week of classes. You should be very proud," he says with slight smile.

Okay – so that's good to know. Anything less than an ' _A'_ from _any_ class is not an option for me. A sold _B+_ would give cause for my father to say: _What in the fuck are you even doing at that school, Ted!_ So yes…no less than _A_ 's are allowed in our family.

"There's one more reason why I asked you here. I have an opportunity for you next semester," Ship prefaces.

An opportunity? What more could possibly happen? Is it another invitation to join another one of his _'special classes'_ next term? Hell, he practically just tried to talk me out of staying in school. He then proceeds to share my paper with the head of the College of Business who wants me to publish a paper in the _Graduate School of Business Journal_. Everything going on so far in this small office is overwhelming me. I'm not sure if I can take any other moment that this man may deem as _kudos_ or _praise_.

"So, the assignment that you submitted on Tuesday was twofold. I knew good and well that you'd be the one sitting here before me. But as policy would have it, I am still required to screen all potential candidates for every position."

 _Position_? Like _a job_? I'm not looking for a job. I'm here to plow through all of my requirements, take my degree and bring it home to Seattle as soon as possible. I'm not wasting precious time that I could be using to hurry the fuck out of here in the next year. Besides, there's no position here on campus or elsewhere that'll pay me what I'm already getting in a stipend from my folks.

Ship reads my perplexed expression and tries to ease any doubt. "So, there's this ' _active learnin_ g' internship program. In this program, students can leave Stanford and spend full-time in the workplace for an entire semester. You'll actually be working in the field that you are studying to go into. Many top firms from across the globe have partnered with Stanford by putting some of our brightest students to work – giving them the exposure that they need as well as enriching their resumes. Some of these companies are extremely hard to get into, so having any sort of exposure with them gives you a leg up above the competition. Companies…such as Amazon."

You remember that expression that once resided on my face? You know…the same one that said that I could give a shit less about _kudos_ along with having an article in the college journal? Yeah – _that_ look. Well, it just left. I fucking light up like a kid on Christmas.

" _Amazon_? Like… _corporately headquartered in Seattle_ **Amazon**?" I gape.

"Looks like I finally got your attention now," he chuckles. "Yes…that would be the place. There's an internship spot available from January to May of next year. That's back home in Seattle for you. It's a forty-hour a week paid gig working an internship dealing with vendor/supplier relations. Are you making the connection now?" Ship beams. I laugh.

"Oh yeah…I got it, loud and clear." Did I mention how much I loved that fucking paper I wrote?

"That assignment that was due this week was just our way of mining out who to offer the position to. This opportunity is huge for our department, and it'll be enormous for you. Not only will you be able to return home for a semester, but you can also keep on your current graduation path. This internship will automatically fulfill four of your remaining courses. Besides the task of remaining an exceptional intern, you will be required to do a final presentation summarizing your internship as well as hitting on some key pre-defined points in front of myself, the dean, a few other professors, and select students as well as anyone else you would like in the room. This presentation will take place in May."

Holy shit! I just won a ticket back home. It can't get any better than this.  
 _I'm coming home, Sophie._

"So – what do you say? Are you interested?" Ship asks.

"Yes – absolutely!" I gasp.

"I mean, it would be just as easy to send you over to GEH to do the same thing, but unfortunately, they aren't in the program. _Yet_. Maybe that's something you can work on," he smiles.

Hell _fuck_ yes. Amazon. This is amazing. _And_ I get to go home and work things out with Sophie.

"Amazon is fantastic. They are actually in a partnership with my family's company, so it'll be good to work from that side of the world," I beam.

 _I'm sure Daddy will be pleased._ I shake off the irritating thought.  
I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing this for me. _For me and Sophie._

"Congratulations Ted," he says, leaning over his desk to shake my hand. I eagerly take it and grip it firmly with a goofy grin on my face.

"Thank you, Sir."

"Do you think you'll be up to fly to Seattle for the day to meet with the Amazon vendor management team – possibly early next week? They don't know who we're sending yet, but they want to meet the candidate and introduce that individual to the team before putting them to work first thing after New Year's. Does that work for you? You'll have a written pass for the day, of course," Ship clarifies.

"Oh yes, I can do that. Hey – by the way, I have a question for you. Even though this internship will count as four courses, I've been regularly taking six to seven a term in order to keep up with my accelerated graduation plan. Could I possibly tack on two remote courses to that? Maybe I can even take them at the University of Washington for transfer credit?" I ask.

 _Hehehe_. I'm a sly little devil, aren't I? You guessed it…it's the school where Sophie currently attends.

"Absolutely. I'll get you a list of available transferable courses remaining on your graduation plan so you can continue plowing away. In the meantime, I'll narrow down a date and time for your trip to Amazon. I'll have the dean's office email you the congratulatory letter as soon as we end here. Feel free to tell your folks the good news," Ship says with pride.

Oh, you bet your ass I will, Professor Ship. And Pops can't bitch me out for working a prestigious internship for four months and taking transferable classes at UW. Hey, I'm just grateful that it's at Amazon and not GEH, where he'd have unlimited control over my life.

And now, it looks like I'll have a day next week to plot and see Sophie in person to give her the good news about me coming home for four months and taking some night classes over at her school.

 _Hopefully she's anxious to see me again._

….

 _Ana_

 _Thursday, August 28, 2031_

Well – these past two days have been a doozy. Yesterday morning, I had to tell my sixteen-year-old daughter that she could **_not_** go out on her first date… _yet_. And even though I promised her that I would keep working on her dad, she simply ran away from me, upset. It's something that she's never done.

 _"Phoebe – don't be that way! I told you I'd keep talking it over with your Dad! I'm on your side here!" I call after her._

 _She spins around from across the main room and glares angrily at me. "No – no you're not! If you were_ _ **on my side**_ _, you would've never told him in the first place!"_

Recalling her words causes my heart to break all over again. But one thing's for certain, Christian Grey already knew. Tuesday night in bed, Christian fessed up to me that he was well aware that our daughter was in communication with Hanson. Remember the day when Phoebe was so eager to take her sisters to the mall with her after dinner? Well, that very same day, Hanson so happened to message Miss Phoebe, letting her know that he would be at the very same mall at seven o'clock with his friends.

Knowing Phoebe's true motive for asking me to go to the mall doesn't really bother me. Yes, she wasn't being completely honest with me about her true intent – and I'd never encourage that sort of behavior. But how many time have me and my friends told our parents that we were hanging out with our girlfriends (which we were) only to omit that we were also going to meet up with some guy? Hell – we all did that!

I could've gone a lifetime without ever finding out what Phoebe was really up to. Phoebe's sisters knew all about her and Hanson's flourishing _'like'_ of one another. That's why Beth and Brie were such willing co-conspirators for their big sister. So since Phoebe has stopped speaking to both her father and I for the past 24 hours, the soon-to-be thirteen-year-old twins seemingly have no hope for their own dating future.

 _"Daddy is crazy strict! Why won't he let Phoebe date Hanson? Will he be that strict with us too?"_

It was heartbreaking to hear that last night from Beth, with Brie nodding in agreement next to her after their big sister stormed away from the dinner table and locked herself in her room.

I have to fix this – _now_. This is going to tear our family apart. Hell, I still don't think that we completely worked things out with our son after his incident almost two years ago – an incident that I don't even think the three girls are completely aware of. If they knew about it, they would absolutely have no hope for their own dating future.

I think Christian is being unreasonable because he believes that the children will end up being taken advantage of just like he was around their age. But what he fails to realize is that our children are not like him. They are much stronger than he was at their age. On top of showering them with love and self-worth, both Christian and I have made sure that all of our children remained safe. It's much different circumstances with our children than it was in his case. Why can't Christian see this? _How do I even get him to see it?_

Sophie Taylor _was not_ and _is not_ a predator. So why do I get the feeling that Christian is still giving her the _predator's treatment_? Sophie practically grew up before our very eyes. We know exactly where she came from. Sophie was always a very sweet girl, now a wonderful young lady. She's only four years older than Teddy. Hell, _Christian and me_ are almost six years apart.

Teddy and Sophie were only caught kissing in the theater room. And if they were having sex without our knowledge – which I hope Teddy took note of all of our _safe sex_ lectures – I'm sure Teddy was well within the age of consent to do so. It wasn't abuse or rape. It wasn't anything like what _that_ …that _woman_ did to Christian when he was only fifteen.

I'd be stupid to believe that things are 100% copacetic between Teddy and his father and I. I will never forget the look of sheer disappointment in his eyes after I told him that I had to make his father aware of him skipping school to be with Sophie. For me, it wasn't about _whom_ he was with. It was the simple fact that he was supposed to be in school, yet he played hooky in order to spend time with a girl. It could have been _any_ girl…I never cared that it was Sophie. But if he was going to skip school with any girl, I was secretly glad that it was with her. I _know_ Sophie.

Oh, but as for Christian – Sophie _'leading Ted astray'_ was all that he could think about:

 _"I never pegged Sophie for being such a bad example. But now I know that she was absolutely affected by her mother's rearing of her and not by Taylor's positive influence. He'd never tolerate that shit. In fact, he doesn't. Taylor assured me that Sophie will not be coming over here to the house or on the property any more."_

My heart breaks all over again recalling the moment. Sophie grew up with our children. Our kids loved her. _I_ loved her. When Sophie was quite young and in her curious phase, she would ask me tons of questions. It didn't bother me in the slightest…I'd love entertaining all of her inquiries. Spending time with her made me excited for the age when all of my children could speak like her, so I could have the same dialog with them.

So what took place with Teddy and Sophie almost two years ago has cast a dark shadow over the next child in line. It's not fair. I have a mind to give Christian the same silent treatment that our daughter is currently giving us here at the dinner table once more.

You know what? I think I will.

At dinner, it's a spirited back and forth discussion with the twins and their father over various subjects – school, band, sports… Yesterday, I was in the conversation. Today, I'm not the least bit engaged. I'm overcast. Distant. Phoebe is quiet as well, but instead of being sad like me, she appears to be slightly annoyed. Bitter. She'd rather be cleaning up pig slop than be in our presence this moment. It absolutely breaks my heart to see my strong, good girl exuding such angry adult emotion – an emotion that she doesn't even deserve to experience.

Phoebe Grace Gray has always done what her parents have told her to do. She's been the model daughter, sister, and student. She's been that constant reliable companion for her best friends, sisters, as well as for Sloan – her cousin. And for all of the good that she has done, she hasn't asked her father and me for very much. She's only asked to go out on an innocent date to the mall with a nice young man with an excellent reputation – and _this_ is how we repay her? If Christian and I were to wake up and discover Phoebe missing in the morning because she ran away, should we be at all surprised? No – we shouldn't. _We drove her away._ I could just cry right here and now at the sobering thought.

"Mrs. Grey…what is your deal today?" Christian frowns at me from across the table. I sigh, but I don't say a word. I resume nibbling away at my cheesy potato casserole slowly.

"Mom's upset too…just like Phoebe. You won't let Phoebe go out with Hanson," Brie bravely answers for me. _That's my girl._

I look up and catch Christian giving Phoebe a stern look instead of me. _Why her?_ Phoebe stares blankly at her plate, not touching even a morsel of food.

"Phoebe, you'll soon get over it and you'll be speaking to us again. School always comes first – you know that." That's all you have to say for yourself, Grey? Is that all? Was that supposed to make Phoebe feel great about life in general? As predicted, Phoebe just sits there and says nothing.

"Eat your dinner, Phoebe. This is not a request," Christian orders.

Suddenly, Phoebe looks up at him. Her expression almost looks unshakable. _Oh shit. It's about to get real ugly._

"If I eat this, will you let me go out to the mall on Saturday with Hanson?" she asks, not stuttering one beat. And suddenly I see myself in her. _Leverage_. That's my girl. I slowly crack a smile mid-chew.

"No. _Eat_ ," he barks. No fucking way. _Grey…what in the world is wrong with you?!_

And just as I have done in the past to the same man, Phoebe leaps to her feet and storms out of the dining room.

"Phoebe – you get back in here and finish your dinner! You were not excused!" he yells after her. I blink in slow motion and straighten my mouth in a flat line. _Oh well – what did he expect?_

"Do you encourage this type of disobedient behavior, Anastasia?" he turns and snaps at me, now that he doesn't have Phoebe to yell at. _No Grey – you're not turning the tables on me. This was all you._ I decide to clear the room before it gets any nastier.

"Brie, Beth…can you please go to your rooms for a few minutes? I need to speak privately with your father," I say sweetly to them. The twins both do a double take before gaping at their father with a look that says: _Oooh, you've really done it now, Daddy._ Yes girls, Daddy's on my shit list. The twins stand and quickly vacate the area.

"Why did you dismiss them and they haven't finished off their plates?" he glares at me from across the table. _Really?_ He confronts me in front of the girls (which he's never done) and expects for me to just sit back and take it? Oh, hell no.

"Grey…cut the crap," I say through gritted teeth.

"Excuse me?" he says, appalled.

"You heard me. Stop it. You are making us look like the villain here, Christian. I don't want to be a villain in the eyes of our own children."

"We are not their friends. We are their parents. It is our job to guide and protect them."

"And we've done our job. But what you fail to understand is that parenting doesn't involve treating our children like babies for the rest of their lives. Phoebe is **sixteen years old**. _Sixteen_. But yet, you treat her like she's _six_. She has more than earned the right to be trusted out on a date with a nice and trustworthy young man," I spit at him.

"Ana", he sighs out my name with a smile that only masks his frustration as he shakes his head in total disagreement.

"They are going to be in public, Christian."

"Yeah… _this time_. What about the next?"

" _So_."

"What in the fuck do you mean by ' _so'_?" he growls.

" _Shhh_ ," I say, urging him to keep his voice and foul language down.

" _So_?"

"If she's prepared to have safe intercourse, then…" I start softly, before he abruptly cuts me off.

"The fuck she is!" he growls at me even louder. I stand my ground.

"She will make the best decision…for _her_. We've armed her with the knowledge that she needs. She will go on making _smart_ and _safe_ choices."

"Ana – she's a kid!"

"And there you go, being unreasonable," I sigh, rolling my eyes. I don't even stop myself from doing it.

"There's that word again. You always throw it in my face when things don't go your way."

I tilt my head sideways. "Really, Grey? And what about when you don't get _your_ way? Oh…that's right – that _rarely_ ever happens!" I stand up to my feet and he gapes at me.

" _What_?" he says in shock.

I turn on my heel and walk away from the table.

"Where are _you_ going?"

"To speak to my daughter!" I yell behind me.

" _Our_ daughter!" he shouts in correction.

How fitting – he's sitting back there at the dinner table…all alone.  
Let's see how much he enjoys that.

….

I knock on the door twice and pause before reluctantly twisting the knob. I push the door in and it opens – much to my surprise. _She didn't lock it, thankfully._ I find Phoebe in the brightly lit room, lying upside down over the made bed – duvet and pillows still intact. She holds a book in her hands.

"Whatcha reading?" I ask sweetly as I shut the door behind me. I take a seat at the foot of her bed right beside her. She's still pretending as if I don't exist. It pricks my heart.

" _Phoebe_ …"

"I heard you – yelling at Dad," she says. She suddenly closes her book, places it off to the side and looks up at me with pensive eyes. _Was she eavesdropping?_

"I didn't mean for you to hear any of that," I say, ashamed.

"I appreciate you siding with me now. But if you _really_ were on my side – you would've never told him about Hanson in the first place."

 _Whoa – am I hearing her right?_

Yes, Phoebe is and has always been good girl. She has never talked back to me before – but _this_? This is not an attitude that I will tolerate. I don't care how upset she is with me.

"Phoebe, I'm going to let that slide because I know you're upset. Yes, I am on your side, but I'm not going to let you speak to me in that tone again. I've already told you that it just doesn't work that way. Your father and I are a team when it comes to you and your siblings. He and I have helped raised you to be the strong young lady that you are today."

"I'm sorry Mom, but I'm just being honest with you. You've always taught us to be honest…right?" she says.

"Yes – honest _but_ respectful," I qualify.

"Well, with all due respect, why does being a so-called ' _team'_ seem like one person's voice matters more than the other? Shouldn't you _both_ be on the same page?"

 _Good Lord – she's not at all off base here._

"Yes – that's the idea. But in a marriage my dear, there will always be areas where the husband and wife won't always agree. That's when compromise comes into play," I explain.

"So where's the _compromise_ in this instance?" she says – and her voice almost cracks when she says it.

 _Oh no – please don't break down my sweet little girl._

"It's a process, sweetie. Look, I trust you – honest, I do. I just need to get your father to see things from the same lens that I'm looking through. He will get there," I say, hopeful.

" _When_ will he get there? When I'm _twenty_? _Thirty_? How long do I have to wait in order to be free?"

Suddenly, tears begin to stream down her lovely face. I immediately wrap my arms around her and pull her up to my bosom. I smooth down her beautiful long, soft brown hair.

"I want you to always feel free to be exactly who you are, Phoebe. I don't want you being anyone else. I love _you_ just as you are." I'm trying to hold it together… _for her_. I need to hold it together. I must be strong for my big little girl.

"Mom – it just sucks that I get awesome grades. I've never got suspended from school. I receive awards all of the time. I made all-star band and I was just nominated as president of our STEM club."

Wow, my brilliant daughter was nominated as president for the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics club – for the entire school?  
"Phoebe, honey – that's _fantastic_. I didn't know that you were running for office in STEM."

"I wasn't even considering it, but I think I'm going to run now since I was nominated and all. Besides, it'll look great on my college resume."

"Absolutely, you should totally run. You'd make an awesome president," I say proudly, kissing her softly on the forehead.

"Anyway, I do all of this good stuff…and I get home before curfew. I hardly ask for anything. Then when I finally do, Dad says _: No – you're too young to be thinking about boys._ Are you kidding me?! I'm sixteen for crying out loud! Tons of girls my age have boyfriends! Heck, even Sloan, who's not even sixteen yet has a seventeen year old boyfriend!"

Whoa! Sloan? _Sloan has a boyfriend already? And he's seventeen?_ I'm gaping at my daughter at the news.

"Yes, Sloan has a new boyfriend. He works part-time at Grey Construction with her and Uncle Elliot. Even Sloan has more freedom to be with her boyfriend than I do. It's just not fair!" And at that, my little girl loses it and weeps loudly into my chest.

"Honey…I know, I know. I'm so sorry," I coo softly into her ear, gently rubbing the back of her head and her back as she cries. "I'm not going to give up working on your dad, sweetie. I promise."

"Yeah – good luck with that," she snorts after a few beats. "And by the way, don't mess things up for Sloan by telling Dad about her new boyfriend. He'll put a stop to that too."

"Phoebe, don't be ridiculous. Your dad has no say over what happens with Sloan," I brush off.

"But Dad treats her just like one of us when she's here. Dad's going to have a say. I just know it. He's going to get into Uncle Elliot's head and he's going to put a stop to her and her boyfriend. Sloan will end up being just as miserable as I am!" she says, crying all over again.

No, no, no. **No**! This has to stop! I'm going to put my foot down the second I'm back in Christian's presence. I'm not letting this go. I'm standing up for this sweet little girl who has a crush on a nice young man.

….

Ever since Tuesday night when I first brought up Phoebe going out on a date this coming Saturday with Hanson, Christian and I have _not_ been seeing eye-to-eye. It's affected us so much so, that we haven't had sex at least for a couple of days. I'm just too upset with him to even think about having sex.

In bed, my back is facing him with several pillows stacked, separating us in between.  
Yes – childishly, I practically built a fort in our bed. It's approaching three nights without us touching. He's going to eventually cave – I just know it. I don't see him going more than five days without sex. Idly, I'm shocked that he's even in bed with me this early. When he knows that I'm upset with him, he usually stays up late and works in his study. He doesn't climb into bed until I have long fallen asleep.

"Ana, please – you are being ridiculous," he finally says as we both lie in silence.

 _The nerve of this man!_ I angrily swing around, prop myself up on my elbow, and glare at him. Even in the dark, I can tell that his eyes were already fixed on me.

"Perhaps you need to talk to another father with a daughter Phoebe's age for some insight. Why don't you go grab a drink with Elliot tomorrow night?"

I don't explain why he should talk with Elliot – I simply put the idea out there. He needs to have a man-to-man conversation about raising teenage girls. I think Elliot has a better grasp on things. Elliot has no choice _but_ to trust Sloan now that he's raising her all alone. Without establishing fair boundaries and operating in trust, being a successful single parent would be nearly impossible.

After Christian sighs in response to my suggestion, he doesn't say anything for a bit. It's silent in the room for a few moments. _Perhaps he's considering my suggestion._ _Maybe he's taking my words to heart._ I lie back down on my pillow and face away from him once more.

Suddenly, he forcefully yanks away the pillows that separates us and pulls my back flush against his chest. The sudden move nearly knocks the wind out of me.

"Baby, I don't care if you're mad at me. Be mad at me – but I need to hold you tonight. I've been feeling so cold in this bed for the past two nights."

"As you should. You deserve to be cold," I bite.

"Bunny, why do you have to be so mean," he purrs. Soon, he is kissing the back of my neck. One of his hands grips the crown of head, while the other caresses my stomach. _Shit!_ My body buckles under his touch. Soon, that oh-so-familiar-feeling comes over me. But this time, I fight it.

"Christian…please – _don't_. We need to sort this thing out with Phoebe. She's hurting," I plead.

"It wasn't my intention to hurt our daughter. We sometimes have to do the unpopular thing to in order to keep our children safe."

Not this shit again – Christian and his endless quest for _safety for us all_. Give me a break. "I was able to date boys when I was Phoebe's age – and I was just fine," I argue. And even though I can't quite see his face, I can feel it in the air that he is not the least bit amused.

"You were very strong willed, Ana. You weren't out there having sex, much less hanging out with guys who were already in college while you were attending high school."

"And as far as we know, Phoebe's not out there having sex either."

"Oh…I know for a fact that she isn't," he says staunchly.

Of course he knows. I wouldn't expect anything less from a bonafide stalker with unlimited resources right at his disposal.

"So what's the big deal then? Just let her go out on that date already."

"The boy's in college. I don't trust him. Those college guys…they're all horny. They'll jam their dicks into anything and everything," he says with disgust expelling from his voice.

Yeah – and by ' _in anything and everything'_ , does that include inside of middle-aged unhappy trophy housewives who like to beat young boys before she fucks them? But hey – don't mind me, Grey.

"Christian, we have a son in college…"

"Don't you dare get me started on _him_ ," he growls.

I quickly get him off of the sore subject of Teddy. We'll cross that _other bridge_ later. Right now, I need to score a quick win for Phoebe. _Victory is within reach – I know it is. Christian is actually listening to me at the moment._

"Just like me, Phoebe would never do anything that she didn't want to do."

"Ana, Phoebe doesn't have a choice. Her one and _only_ option is to remain a virgin."

Suddenly, I laugh it up so hard, that if Christian were facing me, I think some of my saliva would have flown in his face. I'm certain that he's scowling at me right now. I've been with him long enough to know – that's just what he does.

"You are setting unrealistic expectations. Christian, you need to trust our daughter and know that she will come to us if things were to get serious between her and Hanson."

From the stiffness of his body, I can tell that my response unsettles him. I elaborate.

"Look – it's vital that we don't cause our daughter to turn away from us. We have to trust her. If we don't, she will only rebel. And if we do exactly what _you_ want, which is tell her that she can't be sexually active without you giving her a valid reason why she can't, she will only rebel. We'll lose her for good. Do you want that?"

"What in the _hell_ are you talking about?" he says. Seriously – even after twenty years, I can't understand for the life of me why such a brilliant man doesn't understand simple common sense sometimes.

"You can't just tell her: ' _Because I said so'._ That never works."

"Why not?" he sincerely asks. And then it hits me. _He's dead serious._ I can't believe that he thinks that making our daughter remain _pure_ …not because _she_ wants to, but because it's his imposed will, is logical. He actually believes in all of this nonsense spewing out of his mouth right now, yet this _same man_ lost his virginity when he was just a year _younger_ than what Phoebe is today.

In this moment, all I can do twist my body and stare pitifully up at him. Soon, the harshness in his eyes finally eases. It's as if a moment of clarity has finally dawned on him. At least I hope that it did.

"Look, I'll see if Elliot's free tomorrow night. I'll get a different perspective. If I come back feeling the same way, I'll have a talk with Phoebe myself, clearly explaining to her my reasons why I'm disallowing her to date that kid. I promise, the answer won't be: _Because I said so_. Deal?"

I don't know if I like his answer. It's as if he's expecting for his answer to still be _no_. But at the same time, I can see Elliot talking some sense into his nonsensical younger brother. _Maybe things will finally go my way and Phoebe's._

"Okay," I murmur.

"Now…are you going to be a good girl and make sweet, hot love to your husband Mrs. Grey?" he groans directly into my ear. Sweet Lord – will this man ever cease to turn me on? _Fight it, Ana…fight it._

"I don't feel like it. I'm too tired," I yawn.

" _Tired_? It's only 9:30."

"I get tired much earlier these days. I'm getting old." He chuckles at my response.

"You're only going on 42. That's hardly _old_ , baby," he says in between kissing the back of my neck, followed by my shoulders. Suddenly, he shifts me quickly onto my back and then mounts right on top of me. _Holy shit._

"How about this…let _me_ make love to _you_. You don't have to do anything. Just lie back and take me in, baby," he says in a sensual whisper. And with my face exposed to him in the dimly lit room, there's no hiding my arousal. My lips peal apart infinitesimally, and my chest rises and falls in strong anticipation.

He stares down at me, and I gaze right up at him. I'm still speechless, but he knows that he has me exactly where he wants me. _Dammit Grey – I'm still mad at you. But I want you too._ Slowly, he descends his head down on me and plants sweet kisses all over my mouth. _Nope, he doesn't play fair. He never has._

"I don't like it when you're angry at me," he groans in between.

"Well – stop making me mad then."

"But whenever we do make up, we always have _really_ hot sex," he says with smoldering gray eyes.

"We haven't actually made up yet. Therefore, the sex will be far from _hot_ tonight, Grey – that's if you get any at all," I snip at him.

"I'll take what I can get, Mrs. Grey. I'm desperate for you," he says before kissing my neck underneath my chin. My traitorous body – will it ever, _ever_ resist this man? Well, it appears that resistance won't happen tonight.

I give this man my entire body, finally losing myself in him after two restless nights before.

….

 _Saturday, August 30, 2031_

I don't know the extent of what happened at Christian and Elliot's bar outing last night. And I'm not sure if I want to know all of the gory details.

I can imagine the look on Christian's face the moment his brother told him that he fully supports his fifteen-year-old daughter's relationship with his seventeen-year-old part-time employee. The boy's also in high school, but he doesn't attend the same school as Sloan and our daughters.

Whatever happened last night – it worked. _Three cheers for Elliot!_

At five o'clock in the evening, I knock on Phoebe's door. I told her that we were all going out to dinner tonight – which is true. However, Phoebe won't be joining her father and sisters and I if all goes well. She'll be doing her own thing like the mature young lady that she is. _I'm so excited for her._

When I open the door, Phoebe is dressed but flopped on her bed appearing less than enthusiastic.

"You're all dressed?" I ask. She's wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans. And even though the clothes her hers, this isn't her usual, daring sense of style.

"Yeah," she grumbles.

"I'll give you the word when it's time to go. Sawyer will drop you and Hanson off at the mall," I say matter-of-factly. She practically falls out of bed, stumbling to her feet.

" _Wh_ …what did you just say? _Hanson's_ here?" she gapes.

"Yes. Your father invited him over. He had Mr. Sawyer pick him up from the UW campus. They're going to have a brief guy-to-guy talk, then you'll both be on your way," I beam.

"You're kidding!" she says, still in shock.

"Nope," I smile.

Without saying another word, my sweet daughter's smile makes a comeback and she pounces – wrapping her arms tightly around me.

"Thank you, Mommy!"

"Oh…my sweet girl. You're growing up so fast. I'm _so_ proud of you," I say, almost crying. Soon she releases me and squints her eyes.

"You're going to make sure that Dad doesn't say anything crazy to Hanson, right?"

I giggle. "Of course. Even though it's a _guy talk_ , I'll be right there in the room. Rest assured," I smirk. Phoebe quickly grabs me again for another strong hug, and I kiss her on the cheek.

"I need to find something else to wear!" Phoebe squeals with excitement after releasing me.

….

"I don't like this, Ana. Not one bit," he says. I calmly sit on the sofa watching him pace his study like a maniac.

"Relax, Christian. Just talk to him. Besides, Luke will be close by. It's going to be fine," I reassure him.

"No, Luke will be fucking _right there_ with them at all times!" he barks.

"Don't be ridiculous. Sit down," I say, dismissing his insane notion. Soon, there's a knock on the door. Christian stops pacing and takes a seat beside me on the sofa.

"Come in," he calls out. The door opens. It's Sawyer.

"Sir…Ma'am – _Mr. Larkin_ ," he introduces.

In walks a tall, handsome dark haired young man wearing jeans and a light blue button-up under a black jacket. He looks hopeful and un-phased. However, I know that his countenance will soon change once my husband lays down the law. Both Christian and I stand as he enters the room.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grey – thanks for inviting me here," he says in a strong, confident voice. Wow, Hanson has surely grown since I last saw him. He's grown _a lot_. Dare I say he's a cutie? _Way to go, Phoebe!_

"It's good to see you again, Hanson. It's been a long time," I say kindly as I shake his hand.

"Yes, it certainly has been, Mrs. Grey. Mr. Grey," he smiles, extending his hand out to my husband. Christian glares at him. _Sweet Jesus – give it a rest, Grey._

Thankfully, Hanson isn't swayed as he shakes the hand of a skeptical father afraid to let go of his little girl. Perhaps he's already witnessed this with his own father and his older sister, so he recognizes what Christian is going through right now.

"Have a seat," Christian says, gesturing Hanson to sit in the chair across from us. We all take our seats.

"Thanks. So how's Ted doing over at Stanford?" he says, breaking the ice. _Oh boy, sore subject._ I don't even bother to turn to look at Christian. I decide to rave over my only son in order to kill the awkward silence.

"Teddy has another full load of classes. He's excelled in all of his courses up to this point. I'm sure he's doing well during his first week back," I beam.

"Ted's a brilliant guy. Kinda bummed that I didn't get a chance to hang out with him over the summer. My family and I spent time with my grandma in New Orleans. She recently passed away."

"Oh no…I'm so sorry to hear that," I say regretfully. I turn to Christian, who still looks stern – but I can see that he's softened up somewhat. I'm sure he knew about Hanson's grandmother since that was something he would've shared with Phoebe through social media and text messages.

"Thank you. She was ill for a long time, so we're relieved that she no longer had to suffer – and glad that we had a chance to spend time with her."

"Of course," I compassionately remark. I look over to Christian who quietly nods in understanding.

All right, so lets get this over with. I have an anxious sixteen-year-old daughter anxiously waiting in the wings.

"So… _Phoebe_ ," I start. After I mention my daughter's name, the once confident, self-assured young man turns bashful. _Aww – he really likes her!_

"Why do you want to date our daughter," Christian says briskly and to the point, finally breaking his silence. _Holy shit, Grey – simmer down._

"Well Sir, I like Phoebe… _a lot_. I've always liked Phoebe. I've been interested in taking her out for quite some time," Hanson says with no hesitation. I try to wrestle back a smile.

"And there are no girls your age at UW who you can date?" Christian lobs at him. I turn to my right side and glare at my husband. _What in the hell are you doing, Grey?_ He ignores me and keeps his gaze laser sharp on Hanson.

"I mean…I just started going to UW, Mr. Grey. With the exception of maybe a classmate or two from high school who now attend UW, I haven't had a chance to meet anyone. And besides, I only like Phoebe. There's no other girl quite like her."

Again, this young man steals my heart. _He's so adorable!_

"I would agree, but surely there has to be someone else that you would better connect with. I mean, what interests do you even share with Phoebe? Do you play an instrument?" my husband interrogates. _Why is he asking questions that he already knows the answers to!_

"Well, no…I don't – but I love that Phoebe does…"

Christian cuts him off. "What about books? Phoebe read 150 books last year. She's well on her way to reading 200 this year." I can only close my eyes and try to will away this uncomfortable exchange.

"Look Sir, I admit… I don't read a lot for leisure. When I wasn't in New Orleans with my grandmother, I was training hard for baseball. I understand that books are Phoebe's thing. Yet, another thing that I admire about her."

With everything that Christian throws at him, Hanson has remained self-composed. Now I understand why my daughter is so eager to go out with him. I am smiling hard on the inside, and it's now slowly creeping to the outside.

"What's your major?" Christian grills him once again. _Grey – stop it! You already know all of the answers! You did a damn background check on him!_

"Sir, I'm undecided at the moment."

" _Undecided_? Why _undecided_? Surely you don't think you'll be guaranteed a contract with the National Baseball League," Grey scoffs. _Jesus, please take the wheel._

"Of course not, Sir. Out of 35,000 NCAA baseball players at any given year, only 2% of them will go pro. I know that the odds are definitely not in my favor. So yes, education is a number one priority for me. I'm leaning between three different majors. For now, I'm taking all of my gen. ed. courses first before I narrow my major down to one."

 _Score one for Hanson._ Christian doesn't show his hand, but I know that Hanson didn't _strike out_ with him, so to speak.

"Look…Mr. Grey. I completely understand that you are reluctant to letting me take out your daughter. I get it. But I want you to know that I care about Phoebe and I would never take advantage of her in any way." And there we have it. Hanson directly addresses the elephant in the room.

"Oh, I know you won't. I'll see to it," Christian snaps. And we take two steps back. _Classic, Grey…absolutely classic._

"Christian…" I say, placing my hand on his lap to placate him. He pays me no mind, keeping Hanson in the crosshairs.

"Here's what's going to happen. Sawyer will drive both you and our daughter to the mall. He will know your whereabouts at all times via the tracker on Phoebe's phone. You will see _your movie_. You will have _your pizza_. Afterwards, Sawyer will drive you back to your dorm. Our daughter will be home tonight by 10:30. Is that understood?"

 _You've got to be kidding me._ I try to mask my baffled emotions, but I don't think I'm doing a very good job at it. I turn and look at Hanson. Again, he doesn't cease to amaze me. He remains calm, cool, and understanding. Honestly…I'd like to smoke some of what he's smoking. Drugs are probably the only way to tolerate Christian Grey and his overzealous ways.

"Absolutely, Mr. Grey. I appreciate the opportunity to take out your daughter. I've wanted to do so for so long," Hanson says with sincere appreciation. Whoa…he's even willing to take scraps, adhering to outlandish demands just for the chance to take Phoebe out on a date. I'm astounded. I have even more respect for this young man who's willing to tolerate anything just to spend a couple of hours with our daughter.

"Very well. I will be keeping a close eye on you. One misstep…" I've had enough of Christian's intimidating demeanor, insane demands, and compounding threats.

"Christian… _enough_ ," I scold quietly, yet firmly to my husband. "Hanson, I trust that our Phoebe will be in very good hands. It was nice seeing you again. Wait here – we'll go grab Phoebe," I beam at the young man. I stand to my feet.

As I purpose to walk out of Christian's study, he doesn't budge. He continues to stay seated, staring alarmingly at our daughter's date. Hanson smiles uncomfortably, which I can tell fuels Christian even more.

"Christian…let's go," I demand. He hesitates, but eventually complies. "We'll be right back," I assure the young man. Christian doesn't take his eyes off of him until we are completely out of the room.

Once the study door closes, I slap my husband on his arm. "Christian – _cut it out_ ," I discretely reprimand him.

"What? I had to let him know that he can't be fucking around with our daughter – _literally_ ," he whispers.

I shake my head in exasperation as we begin to hike towards Phoebe's room. "As if he'd have the chance. Sawyer will be there for goodness sake."

"I don't want him even _thinking_ about sneaking our daughter off to some dirty restroom to… _do his deed_ ," he says with utter contempt. _Impossible, this man is._

We continue to go back and forth on what he thinks Hanson would try with Phoebe. I counter him each time. "You're being ridiculous. Hanson wouldn't do that," I argue. We eventually reach our daughter's bedroom door. After all these years, I still haven't gotten over how enormous this house is. _We are definitely downsizing once the girls are grown and have moved out._

"Like I said, I don't want that asshole even _thinking_ about trying anything," Christian quietly growls.

"He's not an _asshole_ , Christian. He's a very nice young man."

"Anyone who wants to take out any daughter of mine is an asshole."

" _Our_ daughters. And I disagree. I like this one," I smile. Christian glowers over me, and I can't help but to begin to chuckle. But before I can get a real good laugh out, the door swings open. _My goodness._ I am speechless.

Instead of jeans and a t-shirt, my angel is now donning a red skater dress, denim jacket, and knee high stretch black boots. Her beautiful brown hair is propped up in an adorable messy bun. Her light makeup very is subtle and age appropriate with just a touch of gloss on her lips. She looks absolutely perfect.

"Mom! Dad!" she exclaims. And it's the first time I've seen a smile on her face in many days. It immediately melts my heart. She throws her arms around me and I take her in. I hold her oh so close against me, smelling her sweet scent. And suddenly, I long for that rambunctious little girl once more. _Oh, my sweet, sweet little girl is growing up so fast._ The very thought is depressing.

"What in the _hell_ are you wearing?" Christian gripes, breaking me out of my reverie. _Oh no, what now?_ I roll my eyes.

"Clothes, Dad," she smirks as she releases me. She then lifts up on her tippy toes and kisses her father lovingly on the cheek, smearing lip-gloss on him. He observes her with high skepticism.

"That dress is _way_ too short. And those boots…"

"Yes, the dress is shorter so you can actually see them," she counters.

"Those are hooker boots," he scowls.

"They are not. And you had no problem with _these boots_ before now. You've seen her wear them before," I remind him.

"I wore these to Sunday dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Grey's more than once. Even Grandpa likes these boots," she argues. Christian is clearly outnumbered, and he doesn't like it one bit. I could laugh at the situation, but by no means do I want to anger _Mr. Control Freak_ enough to change his mind in letting Phoebe go out tonight to spite me. Not to say that he would, but I don't want to chance it. It's taken me many days to get us even _this_ far.

"Well, he's waiting in my study," he says gruffly like a petulant adolescent.

"Thank you Daddy," Phoebe sighs in relief, throwing her arms appreciatively around her father. His reluctance and stubbornness soon gives in, and a semblance of a smile finally surfaces. _Thank God._ He kisses her twice on the forehead.

"No _funny business_ – do you hear me? Sawyer will be close by," he staunchly warns her.

"I know," she replies, unshaken in her excited state.

"And if that boy touches you inappropriately, I have instructed Sawyer to shoot first, and ask questions later," he says matter-of-factly.

"Christian!" I snap. Phoebe laughs.

"I'm not joking," he says with a stone, straight face. Indeed, I knew that he wasn't joking. Soon, Phoebe's smile wipes away.

"Dad, calm down. _Geez_ ," she sighs.

"I want you safe and home in one piece at 10:30. Do you hear me?" he orders. Phoebe closes her eyes, shakes her head, and wraps her arms around her father one last time. _Gotta love him, right?_

"Dad, I'll be fine. Promise," she assures him. He kisses his little girl on her forehead once more, reluctant to let her go. _His sweet baby girl._

Minutes later, Sawyer is leading the way as Hanson and Phoebe follow him towards the front door. As Sawyer holds open the door, Hanson steps aside so that Phoebe can exit before him. _He's such a gentleman._ Phoebe soon turns around and mouths the words: _Thank You_ to both her father and I. We both smile proudly at her, and I blow her a kiss.

"Have fun!" I call out.

"But not _too much_ fun," Christian says sternly.

Phoebe brushes off her father's crude remark and exits the house when Hanson turns towards the house and smiles at us. "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Grey. It was a pleasure talking to you both. I hope to see you again real soon."

"Take care, Hanson," I say, beaming warmly at him. When I glance over at Christian, he's giving him the death stare, which I'm certain Hanson doesn't catch as he quickly turns to follow behind Phoebe.

 _Lord, help us all._

….

Hours ago, I asked the twins in front of their father where we should go for dinner.

 _"Italian!" Brie blurts out._

 _"Oh my gosh – that's exactly what I wanted!" Beth gasps._

The twins are always in sync. Sounded quite tasty at the time, so I was in.

 _"Pizza's Italian. Anyone game for pizza? I know a nice place over at the mall," Christian nonchalantly suggests._

No, no. Don't you even dare, Grey.

 _"Phoebe's there. I don't want to embarrass her on her date with Hanson," Beth says._

 _"Neither do I. Let's go and get some real Italian food…far away from the mall," pipes Brie._

I adore my girls…always looking out for one another.

 _"You've been outnumbered, Grey. We want_ _ **real**_ _Italian food – pasta and the like. Phoebe is doing fine, so stop worrying. I'm sure you instructed Luke to keep you posted," I sigh._

So against Christian's wishes, the four of us _do not_ have dinner at the mall. Now, we're back home. It's not even ten o'clock – yet Christian positions himself on the sofa nearest to the front door. He's like a guard dog waiting for his eldest daughter to return. I can only shake my head at him. He needs to learn how to let go. It sucks, _I know_ – but he needs to let our little girl grow up.

I head into our room and change out of my jeans into some lounging pants and a t-shirt. Soon, I hear a phone vibrating nearby. _It's mine._ I quickly hurry to the bedside table and retrieve my phone. _It's Teddy. He never calls me this late._ I immediately pick up.

"Teddy?"

"Mom – _hey_. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No, this is perfect. What's going on with you?"

"First of all, how are _you_ doing?"

I'm taken aback by my son's concern for me. Is he really okay, or is something wrong over at Stanford?

"I'm doing well. Earlier today, we saw your sister out. She's on a date," I smile.

"You're kidding!" he says in shock. I chuckle.

"Oh, were you serious? Dad actually let Pheeb go out – on a _date_? With _who_?" he gasps.

"Hanson."

"No freaking way!" he gasps even louder.

"I know – it wasn't an easy feat. However, your dad finally gave in. I like Hanson. He's a really nice young man," I say in praise.

"Hanson's a cool dude. Very down to earth. If I had to pick anyone for Pheeb, it would be him."

"Yes…me too. He's very polite and mild mannered. And smart."

"He's an _all around good guy_. I just feel bad for him…and for Phoebe," he says soberly. _What?_

"Why do you say that?" I ask.

"Because of Dad. You know how tough he can be." And I can tell that Teddy is holding back from speaking out what's _really_ on his heart. However, instead of lingering on a sore topic, I decide to get to the bottom of the origin of his call.

"Is everything okay with you?" I ask.

"Oh, yeah…it's great. I just got selected to take part in an internship program. I get to work full-time with pay in the spring and earn twelve credit hours in the process," he announces.

"Wow… _that's_ …that sounds great! Where will you be working?"

"At Amazon."

" _Amazon_? Here in Seattle?"

"Yep."

My heart leaps for joy. "Oh my God…Teddy! That's wonderful!"

"I'm stoked. Oh – and they want me to fly out for the day early Wednesday morning to meet with the vendor relations team that I'll be working with."

"That's great! Do you think you'll have time to at least do a meal with your folks before you head back to California?"

"I think so. I'll keep you posted. One last thing…"

 _Oh boy – what is it?_ And from the sound of his voice, I brace for something bad.

"I'm still on my accelerated track. In order to keep up with my plan to graduate in two and a half years, I will need to take some transferable courses. At UW."

My eyes narrow in confusion. "That sound… _okay, I guess_? I mean…what could be wrong with that? You can handle work along with the course load, right?" I ask.

"Yeah, I can. But who else attends UW, Mom?" he says in a tone that hints that I should absolutely know what the answer to this question is.

"Hanson goes there," I pep. It'll be nice – the two of them hanging out again, just like old times.

" _Besides_ Hanson."

 _No clue._ I'm truly at a loss here.

"I will just tell you that Dad is going to have a problem with me taking classes at UW – even if it is for a semester." And as soon as Ted says it, I know. I know whom he's referring to now. I begin to feel a pang in my heart.

"Teddy…we need to sit down – the three of us: You, your father and I. We have to put this whole Sophie thing to rest. We have moved _way_ past that incident from high school."

"That's just it… _you've_ moved past it. But Dad hasn't."

Jesus – this sucks so bad that Teddy feels like he's walking on eggshells with his father. I don't want him to feel this way. I missed _Carefree Teddy_ from years ago. I just want my little boy back.

"Look, I won't tell your Dad the good news about your internship at Amazon. The three of us will do dinner or lunch when you get here next week and we'll talk about it then. We will bring up the UW situation. I will back you up. Your Dad supports your accelerated graduation plan. We'll get him to be logical and see that this is something that you must do. And if you choose to see Sophie while you're here, you're an adult now."

"Mom…I appreciate your optimism, but I don't see things ending very well. That's why I'm telling you first. Maybe you can… _prime_ Dad before I get there. You know how much he hates surprises. He'll be less pissed if he's had a few days to think things over."

Shit – I just got over the hurdle of getting our daughter to date. Now I have to open up old wounds and usher in the healing between Teddy and his father.

Being a wife and a mother caught in the middle absolutely sucks.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Sorry for the long delay in updating this. Work is absolutely kicking my ass! And to top it off, I'm back on the road again next week._** **:(**

 ** _In the next chapter, Ana and Christian do lunch with son Ted. Two individuals will be taken aback with how someone else receives certain news. Does it mean that a certain someone will have a change of heart? Later, Ted goes on a quest to locate an old love, but is utterly shocked when he runs into someone else along the way._**

 ** _I have some surprises in store. Soon, we'll also be checking in on some old friends. Just wanted to air out some of the immediate family drama before delving into the other subplots._**

 ** _Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	4. Chapter 4 - Dance Little Sister

**Chapter 4 – Dance Little Sister**

 _Ana_

 _Saturday, August 30, 2031 (continued)_

After hanging up from Teddy, I decide to take a quick shower. Once I'm out, I blow-dry my hair, drape on a nightgown, and throw on a robe and slippers. _I'm sure Christian is sitting exactly where I last left him._ _He needs to get a grip. Phoebe is fine._ As I arrive in the main room after a lengthy hike, the main door swings open. I glance at a clock nearby and see that it's 10:20.

Phoebe rushes in looking flustered. _Oh no, was her date a disaster?_ I secretly hope that Hanson didn't turn out to be a creep. However I can't see that happening – he's such a nice young man. I've known him and his family for many years.

"How did your date go?" Christian casually calls out to her. However, Phoebe doesn't stop moving, nor does she look back at either of us. Shocked, I turn to look at Christian who appears to be unshaken. _Holy fuck._ And I know right then and there that it's something he's had a hand in.

"What?" he says with a dumbstruck expression on his face. I scowl at him, but know I'm not going to get the answers that I need from him. I briskly walk towards Phoebe's room. When I finally get there, her door is closed. I knock. No answer.

"Phoebe – honey? Is everything okay?" I twist the doorknob, but it's locked. When I stand silent for a beat, I can hear her sniffling. _She's crying. Oh no!_

"Phoebe! Please…tell me what's wrong?" I plead. I can hear her weeping louder. My heart sinks.

"Sweetheart, I'm here. Please…talk to me." I stand there for a minute longer. Soon afterwards, the knob turns. Standing before me is a beautiful 16-year-old girl… _my_ beautiful 16-year-old girl – with a red face and matching eyes. My heart breaks at the sight of her. Holding a tissue, she steps aside – allowing me to enter. She shuts and locks the door behind her.

Hiding her face away from me, she walks over to her bed and falls on her pillow. She's staring straight up into space. I carefully take a seat on her bed right beside her.

"Honey, what happened?"

"Mr. Sawyer wouldn't let me and Hanson out of his sight. _I_ …I wouldn't blame Hanson if he'd never want to see me again," she gently sobs. _Oh no!_

"What do you mean Luke wouldn't let you out of his sight?"

"It was my understanding that he'd just be dropping us off at the mall and letting us be until it was time to go. But _no_ …he said that Dad told him that he was to remain with us at all times!"

 _Are you fucking kidding me, Grey?_ I'm beside myself. "Phoebe, both you and I had the same understanding. Luke was to leave you to enjoy your date. I had no idea that this was happening," I say, flabbergasted.

"I figured you wouldn't. I knew Dad letting us go out was too good to be true. Hanson didn't complain, but I could tell that he was very uncomfortable with a third wheel around, much less a personal protection officer! I mean… _jeez_! The tension with Mr. Sawyer around us was so insane, that Hanson didn't even prolong our date. I'm sure he thinks that I'm just a little girl under the thumb of her parents. He'd never have to put up with that crap with a different girl…especial one from UW!"

My sweet, sweet girl then rolls over and buries her face in her pillow and starts to sob loudly. _I don't know what else to do._ I gently rub her soft, long beautiful hair.

"I'm so sorry, Phoebe. This will never happen again. I promise," I coo. She flips her head around, dropping my hand like a dead weight. I'm startled.

"That's crap! It will happen! It will _always_ keep happening with Dad!" she shouts.

"No – it won't. I will put a stop to it once and for all," I say firmly. I can feel the veins forming on my forehead. I am steaming mad. _How could Christian do this! Why is he doing this?_

"You can't do anything, Mom! He's going to do whatever he wants! He's always in control! Just look at what he did to Teddy!" she cries out.

….

 _Saturday, December 12, 2014  
(Flashback)_

"Wow, I can't believe that our little boy will be two-years-old exactly one month from today," I sigh. Wow – how fast Teddy has grown. It seems like it was just yesterday when there was panic in the delivery room – well, mostly from Christian – and I was giving birth to a beautiful baby boy.

"Mmm hmm," Christian hums behind me as he and I stand in the center of our bedroom. He swoops my hair over to one shoulder and begins to kiss the back of my neck. I gasp. I'll never cease to react to him doing that.

"Are you ready for this little one here?" I pep as I place a hand over my growing pregnant belly. Both of his arms wrap around me and he places one hand over mine with the other hand touching my belly directly.

"Absolutely – although I love you barefoot and pregnant, Anastasia. I'm just going to keep knocking you up," he murmurs sensually. I laugh.

"You sure about that?" I flirt.

"No doubt, Bunny. I want to make a dozen babies with you. And besides, you are in fact the most sexiest pregnant woman – ever."

His praise causes me to blush. "Am I? Why is that?"

"First of all, there's so much more of you to hold."

"I'm not sure if that's necessarily a good thing," I frown.

"Oh, it's a _very_ good thing," he purrs. He then removes his hands from my belly and takes them behind my back, where I can feel him untying the knot of my green maternity wrap dress. _Oh yes – this was exactly what I wanted. I've been waiting all evening for this._ I moan.

"And you're always especially horny when you're pregnant, Mrs. Grey. I knew you'd want to leave the holiday party early after our dance. I was glad the moment you said that you wanted to leave. I could tell by the look in your eye that you wanted to fuck."

 _Dammit_. I acknowledge that he's right by bashfully glancing down at the bedroom floor. I blush even more. He exhales as he lifts up my dress by the hem, bringing it carefully over my body exposing my matching lacy black bra and panty set along with a protruding belly.

One of my many symptoms of pregnancy: Insane hormones. I want sex all of the time – even more than before. It really helps being married to a man who loves sex just as much as I do – maybe more. Hell, Christian's my sex teacher. I didn't know my way around my own body until he got ahold of me. After all, he was my very first.

He slowly spins me around and studies me, grinning lustfully. I light up from his approving gaze. A wild thought enters my mind and I bashfully look down at the floor yet again.

"I'm surprised that having sex with our daughter inside of me doesn't bother me more," I say out of nowhere. I look up and see him frowning.

"Ana – I don't even want to think about that."

"Think about what?"

"About our daughter being present."

"Well…she is. And Teddy was present during sex when I carried him."

"I know…but its different thinking about your own daughter having anything to do with sex," he says. And I can tell that his mind is taking him some place that he'd rather not go. My heart sinks at the very thought.

"Christian, one day…she will have sex, but that's still a long time from now," I assure him. He closes the gap between us and pulls me to him. I place my cheek on his white button-up shirt, which is unfastened at the top two spots, exposing his small island of chest hair – _which I adore_. I nuzzle the island with my nose.

"Maybe when she's thirty, I will allow her." His words cause me to jerk up and stare up into his beautiful face. He's stone cold serious.

"Christian, don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not…that's my daughter," he says, returning his hands to my belly. Our second ' _little blip'_ is currently the size of a large eggplant. In three months, our eggplant will be fully gestated and ready to roam among us. Even though I can't wait to meet her – this poor girl is going to have her hands full with her very overprotective father.

" _Our_ daughter. And don't forget, I'm someone's daughter too. You had absolutely no qualms sexing _me_ , and I'm still a ways from thirty," I chuckle.

"But you're my wife. You're supposed to have sex with me," he says, shrugging his shoulders as if it's a given.

"No, I don't _have to_ have sex with you. I _want to_. And before we were married, I wanted to have sex with you then. It was _my_ choice – just like it will be our daughter's decision," I try and reason. However, from the less-than-thrilled expression on his face, I feel like I just wasted my breath.

"We'll just see about that," he says with narrowed eyes as he wraps his arms around me to unhook my bra. As thoughts of my control freak being unleashed on our offspring begin to flood my mind, I suddenly lose track of foreplay. Soon my bra is on the floor, exposing my breasts. He lustfully studies them, licking his lips before lowering his face down towards them as he recloses the gap between us. I speak before he can sample me.

"Don't be that type of father, Christian. How would you feel if your parents stopped you from figuring things out all on your own?" I argue. He stops in his tracks. He looks at me with an expression that's light years away from lust.

"Ana, I wished that they had. Elena would've never gotten her claws on me. I wouldn't know all of the twisted shit that I know if it weren't for her."

 _Oh no – not this again._

"But you said it was her who helped you to get your business off of the ground. Look, don't get me wrong – I hate her, but sometimes there's a bright side to a storm. I'm thankful for your past. It's the sum of all of the parts that brought us together," I reason. I caress the stubble on his face with the back of my hand. He looks down.

"I don't want our children to end up like me," he says under his breath. _Oh no. Please…no. Don't say that._ I pull him into my arms and hold him tight.

"Christian, if our babies have even half of your heart, they'll be more than fine. I never met anyone like you – _ever_. You are so compassionate and giving of yourself. Having our children take after you would be a dream come true for me. I already see you in our son," I say lovingly.

"No, baby…Ted takes after his beautiful mother. And I hope that this little one here does too," he counters, caressing my belly. Before I can react, he passionately kisses me. I know the reason why he does this is twofold. Yes, he wants to get on with it, but he also hates it whenever I complement him. However, he needn't hold his breath because I will never stop telling him how much he means to me.

Soon, the two of us are naked in our bed. His lips and hands are all over me. He's kissing my mouth, my chin, my neck, my breasts, and my belly... Then…

" _Ahh_!"

"Yes, baby – you like?"

He savagely attacks my sex with his mouth. I throw my head back in ultimate desire, grabbing hold of his unruly copper hair lodged in between my thighs.

" _Yes!_ "

He resumes his sweet and torturous ministrations. He consumes me.  
All of me.

" _Oh_ …please…"

" _Please_ what?"

"I want you… _now_ ," I gasp as my pelvis rhythmically jerks forward.

"Turn around," he orders me as he moves over to the side. That's right…no more missionary position while my belly is in the way – not that I mind having sex this way. Christian and I make love in so many fun ways anyhow. In fact, _every way_ is mind blowing with my priapic husband.

He kindly props two pillows up for me before I position myself on all fours. _Yes…for my head when I collapse. This is gonna be rough…just the way I like it._

He takes hold of my hips. Slowly, he glides into me.

" _Ahhhh_ …" I exhale.

He groans. "You are _so_ wet Ana," he sighs with pleasure. He starts to move.

 _Faster.  
Faster._  
I'm calling out his name as he picks up the pace, and my hands form tight fists – firmly gripping the bed sheets.

" _Yes_ …fuck me… _Christian_ …"

He moves even faster, driving me absolutely wild.

" _Oh, Ana…_ "

I will never tire of hearing my name float across his delicious lips. I push my bottom backwards, meeting him at every thrust.

" _Bunny…_ _ **fuck**_ _…_ "

" _Ohhh…Tiger…yes…ahhh…_ "

And just as he did during the first time that I called him that, he spirals out of control. It causes a chain reaction. I collapse forward with my face smushed against the pillows, crying out my release into them as he jerks forth, grunting out his orgasm.

"Dammit, woman – you're savage." And I can feel his smile against my back. It lights me up from within.

"You wouldn't have me any other way Mr. Grey, now would you?" I breathe.

"Damned right, baby. But I didn't want to come so quickly. You make me lose all self-control," he says as his lips are against my skin.

"And we know how much you despise that," I tease.

"No…when it comes to giving you what you want…I don't mind relinquishing my control." His words cause me to contemplate.

"Is that premise just when it comes to sex?" I ask. He rolls off of me and lies down besides me. I turn on my side and face him.

"No, baby. I've told you time and time again – I want to give you the world. Whatever you want. It's all yours."

"Christian, you've given me everything already," I softly reply. "You've given me a life beyond my wildest dreams. A beautiful little boy, and soon…a baby girl."

"You have that all backwards, Ana. You've given _me_ all of those wonderful things." He moves forward and kisses me soundly.

"Surely there's something else that I can give you," he says.

I laugh. "No, like I said – I have everything."

"There _must_ something else. Tell me."

I soon reflect back to our talk from just a short time ago.

"Just continue to be all that you are to me – loving, strong, and selfless. And when our children grow older…don't be such a control freak. I remember how you were with me earlier in our relationship. Don't ever do that to our son and daughter. Give them a little room to breathe…to learn and grow. They'll definitely need that."

After the words leave my mouth, they feel quite ominous. _Where did that come from?_ He narrows his eyes at me.

"I promised to always protect you and our children. That is non-negotiable, Mrs. Grey," he says sternly.

"And I don't expect anything less from you. But you must have boundaries, surely. You of all people should understand the premise of _boundaries_ ," I remind him. _Yes, his whole life, he's functioned according to boundaries._

"I do," he nods.

"So don't be the insane father with the shotgun in his lap," I smile. He laughs.

"Baby, I can't make that promise right now. All I can do is assure you that I will try."

"That's all I ask," I exhale. He looks at me with adoring eyes.

We kiss once more.

….

 _Sunday, August 31, 2031  
(The Present)_

 _"Try" my ass._

I sit in the reclining chair in my study with a book in my hand, but I'm not reading. I'm reflecting back to sixteen years ago. _Where is that man that said he would 'try'? Where did he go?_

I can't take any more of this. I _won't_ take it. I want my husband back. I want my oldest two children back. _Shit – Teddy._

I suddenly remember that we are back at two obstacles. And just when I thought we were good when Phoebe went out on her date – we are back to square one. I wished Dr. Flynn never retired.

Not only do I have to fix this mess with Phoebe, I have to brace Christian for Teddy's news. _If I could just remain in my study for the next two weeks…_

"Ana?"

Fuck. My husband's voice calls out from the other side of my door. I check a nearby clock and see that it's past one.

"I'm reading," I answer back. I had to say something, or he'd just think I was asleep and carry me off to bed. I don't want to be in that bed with him. I need to sort things out in my head so I know how to deal with this test. But something tells me that I'm about to have a pop quiz.

He opens the door and stands before me in jeans and a black shirt – exactly what he wore out to dinner earlier. He walks forward until he's standing in front my recliner before lowering himself down to his knees to look me in the eye. The expression on his face is unreadable.

"Phoebe won't even talk to me," he says. I'm shocked by his audacity. I cock my head over to the side.

"You blame her?"

"She doesn't understand my motivation, but she will one day. For now, I'll just have to deal with her _attitude_ …I guess. She's a teenage girl with hormones."

You've got to be fucking kidding me, Grey. You can't be serious.

"That has nothing to do with it. It has everything to do with you not letting her be sixteen. You're treating her like she's four," I snap.

"Not this again…"

"Yes – _this_ again. And you have no one to blame but yourself. Too bad you have to drag me down with you." His eyes gape at me as if he's staring at something foreign. _No Grey – you're the alien. You're the unreasonable, overprotective father._

"Anastasia, we're supposed to be a united front." His words cause me to pop.

"Yeah – I know! I thought you and I agreed that we'd let our daughter have a nice date with Hanson! Instead, you go behind my back and order Luke to stick to them like white on rice!"

"I did, yes! In fact, Luke _always_ follows the girls!" he yells back in a tone as if I lacked common sense.

"Luke doesn't follow the girls to all of their classes, nor does he hound them when they are hanging out with their girlfriends! Yet somehow, you thought that he needed to make this an exception! Phoebe was out on a date with a nice young man! She wasn't hanging with a convicted felon!"

"I _don't_ trust him!"

And the truth comes out. I try to calm down for the both of us. I have no clue if the girls can hear us yelling incased in these thick walls, in a quiet house at one in the morning. But still, I need to reel this in. Besides, Christian doesn't respond well to confrontation. I should know this after two decades. I take several calming breaths.

"Both you and I spoke to Hanson in your study. You performed a stupid background check. So why don't you trust him?"

"I don't trust any punk with my daughter."

 _Fucking ridiculous._ A puff of air masking a laugh shoots out of my nose, but I restrain myself from taking it any further.

"If you aren't the most _contrary_ … _contradictory_ … _double-minded_ …" I scoff, but too frustrated to continue my angry list of adjectives for this man kneeling before me.

"Are you finished, or are you done?" he angrily quips.

"Oh, I'm _done_ – and I'm staying in here."

He opens his mouth to speak, then closes it. Making another attempt to talk, he does the same thing a second time, closing his mouth.

"Goodnight, Christian," I say firmly, not blinking a single eyelid.

"So…you're not coming to _our_ bed?"

"No – I'm not."

"Why not?"

Jesus…he wants me to spell it out for him.

"Because Christian, you are being an ass. Therefore, you can stay your _ass_ in that bed all alone tonight. Goodnight, Sir."

He gapes at me. "What are you trying to do?"

I completely run out of patience. And plus, it's extremely late. My filter switched off hours ago. Memories of my _Anastasia: Unplugged_ acoustic set come to mind. _Don't let me get out my guitar, Grey._

"I'm done trying to reason with you. Leave me alone."

"So, you'd rather not talk things over like an adult? You'd rather be immature about this?" That look on his face – on no…he's actually believes in his own bullshit. He thinks that he's being the reasonable one, while Phoebe and I are being _childish_.

"Yeah…sure – whatever you want to call or categorize this as. Like I said, _I'm done_. I can't deal with this anymore. I never thought that you'd resort to going behind my back again. I thought we'd put a stop to that a long, long time ago. But here we are. Yeah…that's not going to work for me… _or_ our children."

Granted, it's very late as I pointed out before. I have no idea what I just said. But whatever it was, it appears to take immediate affect. The once confident, set-on-his-decisions _master of the universe_ has suddenly made a run for a border. Now before me stands a very familiar face. It's the same face I saw when I marched out of GEH upon finding out that he bought SIP. It's the look I caught when I left him standing alone in his bedroom at the penthouse at Escala after finding out about his many deceptions. It's the same expression I witnessed as he stood above me at that slot machine in Las Vegas – when I was newly pregnant with Teddy.

"No…Ana – don't even think about it. It's so wrong for you to jump so far left like that – even _implying_ that you would ever…"

Suddenly, he stops talking, but he continues to look petrified. " _Ever_ what?" I ask.

"Take the girls and leave me."

And in an instant, the tables have turned. He has now made me the villain.

"I never said that!" I am now worked up all over again.

"So why are you _'done'_ – as you say? Why won't you come to bed with me? Why do you refuse to talk to me?"

"Why are you putting words in my mouth! I'm just saying that I'm _done_ for the night! I can't deal with this shit _tonight_! _Well_ …now it's morning!"

"I'm not leaving this room until we deal with this like adults!" he barks.

Looks like we're going to be here all night, because he's not going to cave. He's not going to fully understand why his overbearing ways are illogical. He had a hell of a time letting Phoebe walk out of these doors with Hanson in the first place, even with Luke in tow. So how is he going to be able to let his baby girl go completely? How is he going to cast aside his fears and let Phoebe bump her head every now and again? It's not in his character to allow that to happen. The very same goes with Teddy. Again – I still have that to contend with. I'm getting sleepier just thinking about all of the stress.

"Christian – you need to allow Phoebe to spend time with Hanson all on her own. No PPOs. No PIs lurking in the bushes. She needs to be on her own. You need to trust her."

After I speak the words, Christian closes his eyes in pain. Soon, he shoots straight up and begins to frantically pace my study. _Oh geez – not this._

"I don't _tru_ …" He pauses mid pace as I interrupt him.

"I _know_ you don't trust him. _I know._ But you need to trust that we did our job raising our daughter well. You have to let her go. Please…for her sake, and ours. I don't want to lose her. We're losing her, Christian." I can feel a tear pricking my eye. I fight it.

His tortured gray eyes stare right through me. Soon, he rubs his eyes and resumes pacing frantically in a straight line. I leave him to it. _He needs to pace. This is how he contemplates in a stressful situation. It's how copes. Well – that and sex._

After what seems to be an eternity, he walks up to me and sticks out his hand. _What is he doing?_ _No – this isn't resolved yet. I'm not going to bed with you, Grey._ But something in the air tells me that I need to take his hand. I need to reassure him that letting our girl grow up is in fact the right thing to do. If I don't take his hand, I'm shunning him. Shunning him will have the opposite effect of what I want to happen. When a few moments have past, I place my book on the small table and I take his hand. He guides me up to my feet.

I gaze up into his eyes and he looks down into mine. He looks unsettled.

"Give me a couple of days to work this out in my head. I have to make sense of this, or else I won't be able to step away."

Okay…fair enough. At least it's something.

"Sure. How long do you need? A day? Three?" I propose.

"Three," he answers.

"Okay – _three days_. But until then, let me deal with Phoebe and tell her that you are working on pulling back from her and Hanson. Is that okay?"

He closes his eyes in conflict before opening them back up. "Yes."

"Good."

And that, my friends is how you settle an argument like two rational adults. This will only continue if Christian holds up his end of the bargain and lay off of Phoebe and Hanson after Tuesday.

Without saying a word, he guides me out of my study and turns off the lights.  
 _We're making some progress…I hope._

Next up: Teddy.

….

 _Wednesday, September 3, 2031_

I know it's only been less than a month since I've last seen him, but I light up the instant my baby boy enters the restaurant. He looks like such a man dressed up as his father is, but he's wearing a black business suit and tie. Christian is in my favorite color suit of his – gray. I'm wearing a long-sleeved sapphire colored sheath dress with a black belt.

Christian and I stand to greet Teddy as he meets us for lunch.

"Oh…sweetheart, you look so handsome!" I swoon as I wrap my arms tightly around him. He kisses me on the cheek. I grab him by the arms and pull him back to observe him.

"You look so…adult!" I laugh.

"I am…at least I hope that I am," he jokes. I finally release him as he steps to the side to greet his father beside me. The two men hug. Even though Christian might be hard on his son at times, I can tell from the expression on the side of his face that he is mighty proud of his boy. I'm sure he'd never tell him that. Christian has this crazy idea that Teddy would get a big head and stop trying if he were to continue to be praised. I disagree. Our children need our praises.

Christian and I retake our seats, while Teddy sits in the chair across from us.

"So…how did your meeting with your future team at Amazon go?" I gleam anxiously.

"It was great. The supplier relations team was awesome. They wanted to take me out to lunch afterwards, but I told them that I was meeting with my folks."

"You should have told us. Your mother and I could have met you afterwards," Christian pipes.

"No…this is good. I'll have plenty of time to lunch with the team when I'm working there. Besides, it's good to see you," he beams. Wow, Teddy looks… _happy_? He didn't look as pleased to see us over the summer. _Is this a new Teddy, or is he just thrilled to be seeing…someone else?_ I quickly dismiss the thought.

"So Dad…did Mom tell you…"

"Yes, she did." Christian keeps a straight face and doesn't show his hand…per usual.

I told him Sunday after brunch about Teddy's internship at Amazon in the spring and his plans to enroll in evening classes at UW.

 _"Why UW? Why not take courses at WSU Seattle instead," Christian argues._

 _"Well, certain courses that he needs are more accommodating at UW with his full-time work schedule," I respond._

He didn't say anything more after that. He simply hummed and let it go. I just let it be and hoped that it wouldn't be a problem once we met with Teddy for lunch.

"Well – I'm going to the registration office at UW after I leave here to get the ball rolling," Teddy announces. Both he and I study his father. All Christian does is nod. _What…no words about Sophie? He's just letting this happen?_ Maybe he's finally turning over that new leaf.

Another good thing – Christian's going to have a talk with Phoebe after dinner tonight to let her know that he's no longer going to have Luke follow her and Hanson around on dates. He also assured me that he would no longer monitor Phoebe's personal text messages or emails. If Phoebe wants us to know something, she will tell us.

 _Perhaps Christian is slowly learning how to finally let go._

"Where are you staying when you return in the spring?" Christian smirks.

"I was hoping that I could crash back in my old room," beams Teddy. I laugh.

"Of course," I say happily.

"Your mother and sisters will be happy to have you back in the house for an extended period of time," Christian says.

"What about you?" Teddy asks his father. My heart stops beating. _Oh no. Why should he even feel the need to ask such a question? Of course his father wants him home._

"It'll be good for us to catch the spring home opener this time around," Christian answers with a smile. Teddy beams back at him. _Yep – that's Daddy's way of telling him that he's glad to have his baby boy home._

"Absolutely. I think the M's will do well next year," sparks Teddy.

"They're still in it right now. Maybe they'll do it this year," his father responds.

"I doubt it. There are way too many injuries to take it that far into the post season. They need to rest up for a fresh run."

I zone out whenever they start talking baseball. If Elliot, my step-dad, and father-in-law were here, I'd simply walk away and let the boys go to town. But this is really nice…seeing my two men talking like this. I missed that.

It's like… _home_.

….

 _Ted_

 _Wednesday, September 3, 2031_

So, my dad didn't freak out about me taking classes at UW like I thought he would. Looks like my mother smoothed things over with him ahead of time. I genuinely had a nice lunch with my folks today.

When Mom and Dad returned to work, I swung by the house in my rental car and changed out of my suit into jeans, a t-shirt and jacket before heading over to UW. I was too nervous to reach out to Sophie to let her know that I was coming to her campus. Instead, I decide to go with the element of surprise. _Surely I'll find her roaming around the building where most of her hospitality courses would be._

I go to the admissions office first and get the ball rolling for spring registration. Afterwards, I stalk one of the buildings where Sophie would most likely be taking classes. I wait. I wait some more. Unfortunately, time isn't on my side at the moment. I'll need to head to SeaTac in a couple of hours for my flight back to Stanford.

Just as I contemplate if I should just bite the bullet and locate Sophie's social media account on my phone and let her know that I'm here, I look up as students are passing by. Suddenly, I see a familiar silhouette in my periphery. I turn and then do a double take. It's a girl with very long dark hair wearing a white skirt with dark flowers, a long-sleeved blue jacket over a black top, and a white scarf. It's someone who I know very well, and they look to be quite upset. She's trekking across the lawn very fast. My jaw drops.

 _What the… No_ …it couldn't possibly be her. To be safe, I decide to call out a name in order to rule her out.

"Phoebe?!"

Suddenly, the brisk walker stops dead in her tracks and spins around towards me. What in the fuck is my little sister doing here at UW when she should be in class at this moment in high school!

"Teddy?!" She's equally as shocked to see me. Both she and I rush up to each other and meet halfway.

"Why are you here?" I blurt out.

"I should be asking you the same thing!" she counters.

"You first!"

"Nuh un… _you_. You don't even go to school here. You're supposed to be at Stanford in California," she lobs at me.

"Look…Mom and Dad wanted it to be a surprise for you and the twins. I'm coming back home in the spring to work an internship at Amazon. I'll be taking night classes here just for the semester."

"Oh my God!" she squeals, as she jumps up and throws her arms around me – knocking the wind right out of me. I laugh. "That is so awesome!"

"Yeah, it's a sweet deal. You next. Why are you here?"

Instantly, her gaze drops. Oh shit…she's skipping school to be here. This is not good. Not good at all. Phoebe is going to fuck this up for everybody – myself and the twins included. And just when I thought that Dad was opening up to the idea of leaving me alone when it comes to Sophie…

"You're skipping class to see Hanson, aren't you?" I gasp. She sighs.

"Look…our first date last Saturday was absolutely horrible. Dad had Sawyer on our ass the entire time. Hanson couldn't even kiss me goodnight!"

Oh boy. Looks like Christian Grey's intruded on the next level of Grey children. "Look – you wanna go grab a milkshake?" I propose.

A short time later, my kid sister and I sit in a booth at a fast food joint on campus with our strawberry milkshakes in tow.

"I switched cell phones with Cynthia at school so I could sneak off to here," Pheeb confesses.

"You did _what_!"

"Dad tracks our whereabouts on our mobiles. You know that, right?"

"Yeah…he does."

"Look, I just had to see Hanson. I felt so bad about Saturday night. I don't want him to stop seeing me because my father's a pit bull."

"You need to talk to Mom."

"I did talk to her and it got me nowhere! She's going to always side with him!" she cries out in frustration.

"Pheeb, settle down. Listen to me – Mom trusts you. As long as she trusts you, she'll be your ally. Eventually, Dad will cave. Once you lose Mom's trust, she'll just let Dad run loose on you. Then you're screwed."

"But Mom's feelings don't matter in that marriage, Teddy! You know I'm right."

"I don't believe that's the case. When Mom's not happy, _nobody's_ happy – Dad included. You just need to give her time to work things out on your behalf. You may not know it, but she's working behind the scenes. You might not see it now, but you will soon."

" _God_ ," she sighs, shaking her head in frustration.

"Yeah, yeah…I know. It's the cost of being the daughter of crazy billionaires. You'll eventually get over it… _brat_." My little sis bops me across the booth on the forehead with her palm.

"I almost want a regular, working class family. At least they would let me date," she pouts.

"Fuck that. You don't want to be _regular_. You don't want to be struggling to pay for school…or catch the train everywhere. You have a driver, Pheeb…and a trust fund. You can begin working at GEH during summers now…one of the largest privately owned companies in the world. How many of your peers can say that?"

"Whatever – I don't care. I just want a life, Teddy. Don't you want your own life? Aren't you sick of having to live up to some expectation that Dad has set for you?"

"Any good parent wants their children to do what it is that they haven't done. Yeah, Pops can be hard…but it's all in love."

"Bullshit. I thought it was at first, but now…I don't know anymore."

"Oh, shut up. You've had it _way_ too easy, girl. You just don't know how good you have it. This is your very first hiccup as the _Star Grey Child_. Up to this point, Phoebe Grey could do no wrong. Hey, let's change the subject. What happened when you found Hanson?" Her face falls flat.

"Well, he was shocked to see me here just as you were. He hugged me, kissed my cheek, and told me to get back to school," she says with a broken expression that pricks me. _Did she just get dumped? Was that why she was crying and walking fast earlier?_

"Did he say anything else?"

"He said that he likes me entirely too much to piss off my parents and never get the opportunity to see me again," she mopes. _Well, well, well. Hanson is exactly who I thought he was: A straight-laced do-gooder._ I start to laugh. She frowns at me.

"Who would've thought that Hanson would be so smitten by you that he tells you to leave and go home instead of taking you straight to his dorm room?"

"No – I think he was just trying to get rid of me. Maybe he's dating some girl on campus, which is why he was so stunned to see me here," she says, sunken.

"I don't believe that's the case. He was just surprised to see you here as I was…that's all. I believe Hanson really likes you. Look…he and I talked a few months ago. He asked me if it was okay if he asked you out one of these days."

"He told me about that."

"Yeah, and did he tell you that I said: _'Good luck getting through Christian Grey'_?"

Pheeb cracks up laughing. "Yeah, he did say that. When I asked him Saturday how his talk with Dad went, he just brushed it off like it was nothing. He'd only say, _'Oh, your dad is real cool.'_ _My_ dad – _cool?_ I don't think so. Dad is fucking nuts."  
I burst out laughing.

"Yeah, Dad can be high-strung at times. Mom balances him out. That's why they're so perfect for each other." Phoebe only rolls her in reply.

"Back to what I was saying about Mom working behind the scenes – she talked to Dad about me coming back home to work and take classes here at UW. I had lunch with them both today, and Dad took the news surprisingly well."

My sister scrunches her nose, perplexed. "Why wouldn't he be okay with you returning home for a term to intern at Amazon and take classes here? That's awesome news."

"Well…I'm sure you weren't oblivious to the time when all hell broke loose back when I was in high school. You know…with Sophie Taylor."

"The infamous Sophie incident," she gasps in remembrance.

"Yep. The incident I got shit on for skipping school – sort of what you're doing right here, right now."

"I'll be back there before last period, Teddy," she groans.

"How did you get here? You know Dad tracks…"

"Yeah, yeah…I know – Dad tracks our cars. I got a ride to school from Sawyer and then I borrowed Cynthia's car to come here."

I can only shake my head at her mischievousness. It almost makes me a bit proud. "So yes, that incident pretty much excommunicated Sophie from the estate grounds when she and I got caught kissing in the theatre room."

After a few moments, Phoebe's eyes open wide in what appears to be a sudden realization. _She knew all about this already, so what's the big deal?_

"I think I just saw Sophie not too long before I ran into you. She was holding hands with some guy. Well, at least I thought it was Sophie. I _knew_ she looked familiar."

 _What? Sophie? Holding hands…with a guy?_ I try to hold myself together in order to not blow a lid in front of my sister. _Maybe Pheeb was mistaken. Maybe she saw someone else._ Still, my heart is lodged in my stomach. _Has Sophie really moved on?_

"Was it really _her_? _Di_ …did she recognize you?" I stutter.

"Heck no! I don't want her to see me here. And plus, I was upset. I'd just left Hanson. Besides, she'd probably tell her father that she saw me here. I pretty much hid away once I thought it was her."

I need to find Sophie – _now_. I need to know if she's actually moved on. I compose myself and pretend that everything's hunky dory for the sake of getting my sister out of here.

"Hey…it's getting late. Get back to school before you get found out. You also don't want to get Hanson in trouble with Dad. He'll make his life a living hell."

"You're right about that. What are you about to do? Are you going to be at the house tonight?"

"No – I need to get ready for my return flight to California. And you obviously can't tell anyone that you saw me here, or you'll be blowing your own cover," I chuckle.

"Right," she laughs. The two of us stand and hug before going our separate ways.

For the next hour, I journey to and fro across five long campus blocks – hoping to encounter Sophie.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Next up, Christian finally eases up on Phoebe and Hanson and their relationship begins to blossom. Ted develops a theory as to why his father isn't too concerned with Sophie any longer. Also, there will be more surprises in store! – ST2_**


	5. Chapter 5 - Who Knew

**Chapter 5 – Who Knew**

 _Ted  
Wednesday, September 3, 2031 (continued)_

After an hour of roaming aimlessly around the campus of UW, I eventually give up.

I withdraw just enough cash from a nearby ATM to stop by a cellular service provider and purchase a cheap tablet along with a prepaid wireless data plan. While sitting in the parking lot inside of my rental car, I get the new device in working order.

My flight takes off in an hour and a half. Part of me is frustrated with myself for wasting such valuable time. However, if Sophie wants to see me, I'd be more than willing to miss the flight.

 _She'd be well worth it._

I create a bogus account. _She'll get a kick out of my alias._ Sophie never let me live down the day as a little kid when I confused a panda on a television documentary with a polar bear that we saw live at the zoo. Instead of " _Ted_ " or " _Teddy_ ", she'd teasingly call me " _Panda"_ on rare occasions. The very idea triggers thoughts about my parents and the history behind their pet names for one another. Perhaps she and I will wind up with the same fate as my folks. _I can only dream._ I smile as I type out my direct message to Sophie.

 ** _Panda G:_** _  
_ _ **Sophie, this is Ted. I'm in town for a couple of hours.  
I just left the UW campus a short time ago.  
I was hoping to say hi to you.**_

Quickly, I see the read receipt – proof that she has at least seen my message. However, she doesn't type back right away. My gut twists. _Give her a minute, Grey. She might be in the middle of class._ I just hope and pray that my sister was dead wrong about what she saw earlier. She was in the middle of crying her eyes out, after all.

Staring at the tablet while nothing happens is worse than waiting for a pot of water to boil. I decide to lay the device on its face in the passenger seat so I won't be so tempted to watch it and wait. I rest my arms on the steering wheel and place my head over them. I take several deep, calming breaths. Before I know it, the device pings. I can't grab the thing fast enough.

 ** _Sophie Taylor:  
Teddy? Hey! Are you in Seattle now?_**

So she replied. _What next, Grey?_ I decide to keep the conversation going.

 ** _Panda G:  
Yes. I came here for a meeting.  
I'll be spending next semester working in Seattle.  
Also taking a couple of classes over at UW.  
You're still on campus, right? _**

**_Sophie Taylor:  
Yes, I am. Are you here right now?_**

Shit. Should I go back to UW and risk missing my flight?

 ** _Panda G:  
I'm 10 minutes away. Are you free to meet up?_**

 ** _Sophie Taylor:  
I'm in my service management class right now.  
Will you still be here in two hours?_**

Hell, I'm supposed to be halfway back to Stanford in two hours. I need to make a decision here. I really would like to see her.

 ** _Panda G:  
I can be. Maybe we can grab a bite?_**

Dinner with Sophie. That's a pretty good reason to miss my flight.

 ** _Sophie Taylor:  
I already have plans. Perhaps you'd like to join us?  
I can introduce you to Aiden._**

My heart lodges into my throat. _Aiden? Who the fuck is Aiden?_ Then I recall what Phoebe said earlier.

 _"I think I just saw Sophie not too long before I ran into you.  
She was holding hands with some guy."_

Was it _this_ Aiden? Do I really want to know who this character is?

Yes, I do.

 ** _Panda G:  
Who is Aiden?_**

It's all I can say at the moment. After I hit _send_ , I hope for the best, but anticipate the worst. With that said, nothing could ever prepare me for what would come next.

 ** _Sophie Taylor:  
When was the last time you spoke to my dad?  
Aiden is my fiancé. I would love for you to meet him._**

My heart stops beating.

….

 _Ana_

 _Friday, September 12, 2031_

So, I've been 42 years old for two days now. If you ask me, it feels quite the same as being 41.

When I turned 40 two years ago, I witnessed an immediate seismic shift. My energy level noticeably dropped and body aches that would normally last for only hours now linger on for weeks at a time. It was then when I said to myself: _Does it get any worse from here?_

Well actually, there _is_ an upside. My libido is now off the charts. And to think, Anastasia Grey who's been married for almost twenty years to _the_ _priapic Christian Grey_ has exceeded her previous sexual threshold. _Were Mom and Bob as sexually active as Christian and I am now – twenty years ago?_ I shudder at the thought. My kids would be utterly grossed out knowing that their parents are still banging each other like wild field rabbits.

I idly wonder when Christian and I will get to that point in our marriage where we simply cuddle to sleep, never having sex again. At what age do older married couples cease _doing the deed_? I couldn't fathom Christian's parents still being _um_ … _active_. That would be… _hell_ – I can't even bring myself to entertain the thought. Although, it would be pretty cool if they still were!

My birthday this year was fantastic – _as usual_. The girls woke up extra early Wednesday morning and brought me breakfast in bed. By the time I'd awaken, Christian had already left for an early meeting. However, when I got to my office later that morning, I could smell it before I even opened the door. Christian's shenanigans are no longer a surprise to me. It never fails that when my birthday falls on a weekday, I can expect my office to look just like a funeral parlor for a royal. By the end of the week, I wind up giving some lucky ladies at GEH lovely flowers to take home with them.

Then on the evening of my birthday after quick calls with Mom, Ray, and the in-laws, Christian and the girls take me out to dinner. During our meal, the girls were very excited to present me a very beautiful silver necklace featuring four intertwined hearts – which they were quick to add that the gift was also from Teddy.

On prior birthdays, the kids gifted me with new charms for my bracelet that their father gave me for my birthday eons ago. Today, there is no longer any room for even a single charm. In fact, I often have to rotate out Teddy's baseball and Phoebe's ballet slipper charms for Beth's guitar and Brie's volleyball. Of course there are other charms on my bracelet that no one but Christian and I will ever know the true meaning of. Those will permanently remain on my bracelet.

This year, Christian gave me a pair of insanely expensive platinum earrings. God knows when I'll even have the chance to wear them or any of the hundreds of other jewels that he's given me over the years. That's not even counting the other jewelry that he's gifted me with – including the engagement rings given to me on our fifth, tenth, and fifteenth wedding anniversaries. Yes – I can rotate out four engagement rings, which all perfectly complement my wedding band. Of course, it's the very first one – the one that Christian first proposed to me with in our meadow that will always hold a key place in my heart. I will continue to wear _that one_ more than any of the others.

But of course my most anticipated present of them all is the _mind-blowing birthday sex_. After dinner, Taylor drove the girls home to be looked after by Gail, while Christian and I spent a sleepless night alone at our penthouse not too far from the office.

Let's just say that Thursday morning at GEH was _pretty rough_. Christian urged me to stay home at Escala, but if he can still go to work after having sex all through the night, then so can I. We are equal partners in the business, so it's only fair.

It is now nearly lunch hour on Friday. I sit behind my desk at Grey House and take in a deep sigh. The second I contemplate about the upcoming restful weekend, something instantly comes along to squash my hopes and dreams. My cell phone buzzes, and it's my best friend Kate.

"Ana – how was your birthday?" she spouts out before I can even great her with a ' _hello_ '.

"It was great…"

"Look, sorry I didn't call you Wednesday. This local murder story in Portland has been taking up _all_ of my time."

"I heard about that. That's terrible," I respond. Yet, Kate continues to chatter my ear off full speed ahead, giving no regard to any of my interjections.

"So to make it up to you, I'm coming to Seattle tomorrow. I'm going to spend the weekend with you and the girls."

Shit – _now_? And I wanted to rest this weekend!

"Kate…"

"I know, Ana…I know you hate it when I do the _last minute_ thing – but I just got word that I'm not needed to work a story over the weekend. You, Christian and the girls will be in town, right?"

"Well, yes – _bu_ …"

"So it's settled. Tell the girls that Auntie Kate will be there for the weekend," she says gleefully. _Oh, joy._

As Kate gushes over plans of mani/pedis with Phoebe and the twins, Christian softly knocks at our adjoining door before letting himself in. He sees that I'm on the phone, but I hold up my hand and tell him to wait. I then mouth out: " _It's Kate_ ". He narrows his eyes at me. And I know that he knows that based on the stupefied expression on my face, Kate has just sprung something unexpected on me.

"I should be there before breakfast tomorrow, so make sure you set me out a plate as well. I really miss your home cooking, Ana," she muses. I smile. It's difficult to stay annoyed at Kate for too long.

"Sure thing. See you tomorrow morning then," I beam.

" _Tomorrow_?" I hear Christian annoyingly sigh. I silently shush him.

"Laters!" she says before hanging up.

"Kate's coming over to the house tomorrow morning? _Why_?" he says the instant I put the phone down. He inches closer to my desk.

"She's staying the night," I say matter-of-factly. He rolls his eyes. Don't get me wrong; things are not as bad as they used to be between my husband and my best friend. However, like me, Christian was very much looking forward to a lazy weekend.

"Kate is Phoebe's godmother," I remind him.

"I know that, Ana. It's just – couldn't she have given you more than a day's notice?"

"This is classic Kate. You've known her for _how long_ now? I'm just lucky she gave me a day's notice instead of just _hours_ ," I chuckle.

"Well, looks like we'll have a _full house_ this weekend. Did you forget that Sloan is spending the weekend with us as well?" Christian reminds me.

"Oh shit…I _did_ forget about Sloan," I sigh.

"Yeah – Elliot will be out in Aspen on business. So much for that peaceful weekend we hoped for, Mrs. Grey," he laments. I roll my eyes.

Suddenly, my heart stops cold in its tracks. _Kate has to spend time with Sloan as well._

Yes, Kate has been in the same location as Sloan before now – but it's always been a weird experience for her. For one, Sloan's mother has _never_ been a fan of Kate – and the feeling is more than mutual. Secondly, it doesn't help that Sloan is the daughter of Kate's longtime love – _Elliot_. It's all too awkward.

"Ana…what is it?" Christian says, startled by my sudden moment of silence.

"I'm famished," I say immediately. My hunger remains my husband's Achilles heel.

"Good thing I was just coming in here to ask what you were doing for lunch," he quips.

….

 _Saturday, September 13, 2031_

I'm busying away in the kitchen just after 9:30 in the morning. _Kate should be here soon._

In a faded gray WSU t-shirt, sweatpants, and pink fuzzy slippers, I zip from one end of our massive kitchen to another. As I check on the buttermilk biscuits in the oven, Brie is frantically whisking up eggs while Beth is carefully chopping up red bell pepper for southwestern-style omelets. Soon, Phoebe breezes into the kitchen along with Sloan.

"Mom, we need another place setting for the dining table," my eldest daughter announces. I stop cold in my tracks and then quickly perform the math in my head.

"We should have seven, right?" I say, certain.

"No, eight."

"Phoebe…there's five of us, then Sloan and Aunt Kate."

"And Hanson. Did you forget that he was coming over for breakfast too? Dad remembered," Phoebe smirks at me.

" _Oh shit_ …I totally forgot!" I gasp with eyes bulging.

Now I'm in panic mode. _I've only cooked enough for seven – I didn't cook enough to include a hungry college boy! I practically need to cook for ten now!_

" _Ooh_ Mom!" Brie jokingly chastises me for my poor choice of words.

"Sorry girls. That was not appropriate," I blush. The girls giggle.

"Don't worry...Daddy blurts out much worse," Beth chuckles. I roll my eyes to myself at the fact. _Christian really needs to watch his language in front of the girls._

"Prepare a place setting for Hanson, and I'll whip up another batch of biscuits real fast. Hanson likes biscuits, bacon, and omelets, right? Or would he rather have pancakes instead of biscuits?" I ask Phoebe in a hurry.

"Mom, Hanson will eat anything. He's an athletic college student," she giggles.

"You know what? I'll make more biscuits, bacon, _and_ pancakes. Brie – add a few more eggs in there for another omelet," I order.

"On it," Brie responds as she makes a beeline over to the fridge.

"Brie – hand me another onion, please," Beth calls out to her twin sister.

My girls are such wonderful helpers. I couldn't respond so well on the fly without them assisting me.

Thirty minutes later, the girls and I set up the buffet in the dining area. Soon, Taylor is ushering in Kate to meet us. My three daughters squeal with delight and rush her the moment she enters. Kate is visibly overwhelmed by all of the love she's receiving at the moment. When she's finally free from the many hugs, she and I embrace. Soon, she turns to my left and faces my niece, Sloan. I immediately tense up, but Kate eagerly jumps in and reintroduces herself.

"Hi Sloan – I'm Ana's friend, Kate. Do you remember me?" Kate says with a _too-large_ smile. It almost looks forced. It's been many, _many_ years since Kate and Sloan have been in the same room together – which last took place in this very house in fact. The reason for the long span of time in between meetings had everything to do with Lily's jealousy towards Kate. The very memory makes me ill.

"Of course I do," Sloan says tenderly. And to my surprise – _and Kate's_ – Sloan immediately hugs Kate. After it registers with her what just happened, Kate warmly hugs her in return. The sight melts my heart.

"Where's Christian?" Kate asks me after she and Sloan part.

"Where do you think," I smirk. She rolls her eyes and chuckles. "He'll be out shortly," I add.

"Mr. Hanson Larkin," I hear Taylor call out of nowhere, startling me. The tall handsome college student trails in and Phoebe sprints right over to hug him soundly. He smiles big and hugs her just the same. _Aww – they are way too cute together._ Sloan and the twins join Phoebe and Hanson.

"Who's that?" Kate whispers to me.

"Phoebe's boyfriend," I smile. Kate gapes at me.

"Um…does Grey know about him?" she asks, completely stunned and gaping over at Hanson as if she fears for his very life.

"Yes, Kate," I laugh.

"I obviously missed the part where Grey gets a lobotomy. You definitely need to catch me up," she gasps. Before I can laugh, my daughter and her boyfriend approach us.

"Mrs. Grey, good morning. Everything looks and smells so delicious," Hanson says. Phoebe is practically attached to his hip.

"I hope you're hungry, Hanson. Oh…this is Kate McCall, my very best friend and Phoebe's godmother," I introduce.

"Mrs. McCall – Phoebe has told me so much about you," he says extending his hand to shake Kate's. It's then when I notice that he's holding a tiny gift-wrapped box in his other hand. _Did he bring Phoebe a present? Her birthday isn't until next spring. Or perhaps it's an early present for the twins who have a birthday next Saturday._

"Please Hanson – call me Kate." Kate wants absolutely nothing to do with the name _McCall_ if she can help it.

"My grandmother lives in Portland and she says that you're her favorite news anchor," Hanson reveals.

"Oh, that's so sweet! Tell her that I personally said _thank you for watching us_." Oh boy, Kate is now floating midair with a big, inflated head.

"Can you do me one better and take a picture along with me and Phoebe so I can send it to her?" Hanson humbly asks.

"Absolutely! Ana?" Kate says, looking to me.

"Sure," I smirk as I reach out for Hanson's cell phone. It's then when he realizes that he's still holding a small gift box in his hand.

"Oh – I almost forgot. Mrs. Grey, this is for you. Happy belated birthday," he beams as he hands me the small box. I am stunned.

"Hanson – thank you but you didn't have to do that," I sigh.

"I know, but I wanted to. I'm just sorry that I couldn't get it to you sooner. I hope you like it," he says nervously.

I don't want to offend him, so I kindly accept the gift. "Thank you."

"What's that?" I hear my husband say as he enters the room. _Oh no._ I shake off the nagging feeling. _Please don't make a scene, Grey._

"Hanson just gave me a birthday present. Isn't that sweet?" I say to Christian. He blinks before stifling a grin.

"Yes, it is," he replies. _Whoa – that response was unexpected._

"Good morning, Mr. Grey," Hanson says.

"Hanson," Christian says, extending his hand, and the young man takes it right away in a firm handshake. Wow – Christian is _not_ pissed. He's actually really cool with Hanson being here.

"Kate – welcome back," Christian says stiffly before kissing her on the cheek.

"Hi Christian," she smiles genuinely while patting him on his back. Yes, these two have definitely come a _long_ way.

"Babe, can you hold on to my present for me? _Please_? Hanson's grandmother in Portland is a fan of Kate's and I'm going to take a picture of the three of them," I say, handing the box over to him. He kindly obliges and steps away with the gift. I take Hanson's phone and walk back a few paces to ready the photo. Kate with Hanson and Phoebe at either of her all smile and pose together beautifully.

Shortly afterwards, the eight of us enjoy a hearty breakfast at the dining table. I eventually open my gift from Hanson. It's a beautiful, colorful bejeweled sailboat broach. Phoebe must've told him how much I enjoy sailing with her father. It was a wonderful gift that even impressed Christian.

After breakfast, I assumed that cleanup would be quick and easy with a full house of able bodies at my disposal. However, Kate shoos everyone away, telling them that she and I have everything under control. I gape at her. Obviously, Kate just wants space for the two of us to catch up on some _girl talk_.

In the kitchen, she and I strategically load up the dishwasher. My best friend who forever looks gorgeous has her golden locks pulled back in a ponytail and sports an old Dave Matthews Band t-shirt, jeans, and white sneakers. She literally looks fifteen years younger than her age. _Perhaps not having any children is the secret to her youth._

"So, regarding _Hanson_ …how did this all come about? Does he go to Phoebe's school?"

"He did – last year. He's now a freshman at UW."

" _What_!" Kate gapes at me.

"Yes. He's only two years older than her," I say, rolling my eyes.

"And Grey's fine with that? I mean…he wasn't freaking out or anything over breakfast. He was actually quite calm and cool – chatting it up with Hanson about his business courses and everything." Kate appears to be quite impressed with how civil and cordial Christian was with Phoebe's new boyfriend. And to be honest, I feel the very same – even though we have all gone through so much to arrive at this point. _It didn't just happen overnight._

"Well – he wasn't _cool_ at first. It definitely took some time. Christian finally gave in after Phoebe and I wouldn't let up. Now, he's surprisingly good with the two of them dating."

"Are you sure he's _good_?" Kate says, unconvinced.

"Yes – I am. Christian knows that Hanson is a very nice young man. We both completely trust Phoebe. Christian is finally learning how to let go. It definitely took him some time. It also helped for him to have Elliot's perspective, believe it or not," I chuckle.

" _Elliot_?" Kate says in surprise.

"Yes. Sloan has a boyfriend too who actually works part-time after school over at Grey Construction. Elliot was able to put things into better perspective for Christian."

"Wow – that's… _something_ ," says a stunned Kate.

"I know," I laugh.

"So, how is he? Elliot, I mean." And the look on her face appears to be ambivalent.

"Elliot is doing very well. He's actually out working on a major deal with his team in Aspen. He's crashing over at our house there. That's why Sloan is here with us this weekend."

"Does Sloan ever speak to her mother at all?" she frowns.

"No – all ties were completely cut off," I say with regret.

"That's a shame. I hate hearing that. Every young girl her age needs their mother."

"I know. That's why I try to spend as much time as I can with Sloan. I know I will never replace her mom, but she knows that she can always call on me for absolutely anything."

"Let's be honest, her shitty mother was _never really there_ for her even when she was around. Lily was _way_ too busy trying to compete with you and Christian and wave Elliot in my face," Kate snaps. I sigh.

"Unfortunately, that's true."

"I don't know what in the hell Elliot Grey was thinking when he knocked up that… _idiot_ ," she says quietly through gritted teeth. And like the bummer I am, I quickly change the subject – but bring it to an even more uncomfortable topic.

"So, how are things going on with Tom? Have you two finally decided on marriage counseling?" I ask casually, knowing good and well that this is an extremely sore subject for Kate. However, I'm absolutely fed up with my best friend being married to a man that she's no longer with. _She needs to divorce him already._

"Don't even start, Anastasia Grey! Fucking _McCall_ ," she snaps.

"You almost lost your mind when Hanson called you _Mrs. McCall_ ," I snort.

"That shitty last name. I don't know why I didn't stick to my guns and keep my own last name like I originally wanted. Now I'm stuck with _his_ name. I can't _ever_ change my name doing what I do for a living. It would be career suicide!" she hisses.

"Sure, you can change your last name. What are you waiting for? Tom's moved on – _am I right_? Don't you deserve to move on too?" Kate leans up against the kitchen island and I stand toe to toe with her.

"Look – this rock here serves as a decoy," she says, brandishing her gorgeous engagement ring and wedding band. "I will keep these on for as long as they keep the sharks at bay. I have completely given up on love, Ana. I am 100% married to my career now."

I wince. "Kate, don't be ridiculous. You deserve to find true love. _Everyone_ does. Hey, didn't you even love Tom at one point?" Suddenly, a deep, contemplative look invades my bestie's graceful face.

"Look – if I were in love with Tom, wouldn't I have been more upset when I found out that he was cheating on me? In reality, I was quite relieved."

Holy shit. This is news to me.

"Kate, you can't be serious. This happened years ago. Maybe you were just so stunned back then that you can't remember how much it negatively affected you," I try and reason.

"No Ana. I remember the day like it was yesterday. I actually hired Christian's guy, Welch to follow him around… _remember_?"

I narrow my eyes at her. "Yeah…I can't believe you did that."

"When Christian suggested it, I thought it was a fantastic idea. So lo and behold, Welch gets the asswipe on tape with his skank making out in _my_ car! Then we find a trail that revealed that the affair was going on for _many_ months! Anyway, once I got the call from Welch, I felt so relieved! Finally, I had the truth! That same night, I took myself to the most expensive steakhouse in Portland, ordered their finest filet, and drank up a whole bottle of wine – all by myself," she smiles at the fond memory.

I am dumbstruck. "Kate, that's terrible."

"Look – I know. But what's even worse is that I finally realized after all this time the real reason why I even accepted Tom's marriage proposal in the first place. It was all because I saw that Elliot had moved on and that I needed to move on too."

Kate's revelation completely floors me.

….

 _Ted_

Last Wednesday while in a parking lot in Seattle, I deleted my newly created _Panda G_ account after receiving a certain reply from Sophie. I ended up making that scheduled flight back to Stanford.

How could Sophie so casually invite me to join her and her _fiancé_ for dinner! Did she honestly think that I would agree to such bullshit? How dare she just casually pretend that what we had never even mattered! She knew what lengths I was willing to go through just to be with her, yet she completely drops me like a bad habit and moves on. I mean she _really_ moved on. She's fucking engaged and still in college!

Who is this chump she's engaged to anyway? Why did she agree to marriage when she's not even done with school yet? _What's wrong with her!_

It's Saturday and I sit in a vacant section of the campus library. My emotions are running rampant. I've been restless for the past three nights. Soon, the person who I've been waiting for finally shows up.

"Gerts – what took you so long?" I say, exasperated. He sits right across the table from me.

"Shit – my bad, dude. It's been a very busy day," the gangly blond geek quips.

"I've heard good things about you."

"Yeah, I'm the best – especially for the money. What can I do for you?"

"I need you to pull intel on someone in Seattle. Whatever you can find."

"Easy enough. What detail do you have to get me started?"

"His name is Aiden Glenn. He's a senior at the University of Washington."

"Good enough. I'll handle the rest. I'll give you a broad summary of what I come up with. If you want more of what I have, then we can talk price."

"I'll give you a flat rate of five grand if I like what I see," I propose.

"Whoa…dude, are you serious? I normally charge a few hundred here and there. We're all struggling college kids for Christ sake," he gapes.

"Well Gerts, I hate to be _that asshole_ – but five grand to me is like a hundred bucks to you. It's no big deal," I say nonchalantly.

"Fuck – you're Christian Grey's kid," he sighs, suddenly recollecting the fact. "I'm sure your pops has someone on his payroll that does this kind of shit. Why aren't you taking that route?"

"I have my reasons."

"Oh – you're tracking someone that Daddy wouldn't approve of, huh? Who is he?" he ribs. My eyes narrow in irritation. _He'll just dig and find out anyway._

"My ex-girlfriend's fiancé."

"Holy shit. A lost love, huh? Well don't you worry – I'm all over it. I'm sure I'll find some dirt on this joker," he confidently declares.

"Good. When can you report back?"

"Let's meet here again Monday night. I will have something for you," Gerts says confidently.

"Sweet – Monday at ten. Right here."

"Solid."

Shortly after my meeting with Gerts, I make the trek back to my dorm. It's a usual sunny day in Cali, but my insides are anything _but_.

 _Why couldn't she wait for me?  
Why didn't she fight for me like I've been fighting for her?  
Why was she able to give up so easily and move on without me?_

I feel so betrayed. She knew damn well how much I loved her. The last thing I said to her before my Dad swooped in and tried to block me from ever contacting her again was: _"Wait for me."_

She couldn't even do that.

Hell, I _just_ saw her over summer break! I managed to sneak away from my family for a few hours and see her. When we last met, it was at her part-time gig over at the Marriott. I thought everything was just fine between us.

 _Hell…was she engaged even then? Was she dating this Aiden character and didn't tell me?_ I try and think back to just a month ago to see if I failed to pick up on any of the signs. No…it didn't occur to me that anything out of the ordinary was going on. Sophie was just as sweet and as loving to me as she's always been. She even said that she couldn't wait to see me the next time.

 _We even made love._

My heart stills at the memory. On her break, she managed to get her hands on a master key. Soon, we were alone in an unoccupied suite and we talked. We talked and talked. We kissed, and then we talked some more. Eventually, we could no longer fight the feeling. I took her in the bedroom of the suite.

I hated leaving her right after that, but I knew for a fact that my Dad would be suspicious if I stayed away for too long. He's always on my ass.

 _Fuck, my dad._

Memories of lunch with my parents last Wednesday flood my mind. Dad was so nonchalant over the news of me taking classes at UW. This was very unlike him. It's now very obvious to me that he knows Sophie has moved on. Therefore, he doesn't care if she or I occupy the same college campus for a semester.

I have no doubt that Dad knows about Sophie's engagement.

 _"When was the last time you spoke to my dad?"_

I recall Sophie's message from Wednesday. I haven't spoken to Taylor lately, but my father talks with him daily. This is something that would've obviously come up in conversation between my father and his long-time driver.

 _Fuck!_

Well, I can do one of two things: I can simply play the hand that I've been dealt and try to move on, _or_ I can fight for what I believe belongs to me and prove my father wrong. Sophie and I _do_ belong together.

No – this wasn't just a _fling_. Sophie Taylor _was_ and _is_ the absolute love of my life.

….

 _Ana  
Sunday, September 14, 2031 _

The twins, Phoebe, Sloan, Kate, and myself pile into the house through the garage early afternoon. We've just returned after a few hours of pampering at the spa. Laughing away at Brie and her hilarious antidotes, the six of us stammer into the great room where we find Christian and Elliot seated. The two men look up at us in amusement.

"Dad!" pipes Sloan as she rushes over to embrace Elliot. I look over at Kate who appears to be shocked to see her ex in the flesh. She in fact didn't expect to see him at all. He was scheduled to return at night and Kate would only stay here for another hour before heading back to Portland.

 _Talk about awkward._

"I take it that you girls had a good spa day," Christian smirks.

"It was the best!" Phoebe harps and she and her sisters run over to greet their father. Kate and I awkwardly stand as we watch these _Daddy's girls_ reunite with their dads. I adore it. However, I suddenly pick up on Kate's uneasiness.

"Hey – you want to see what I did with my closet?" I say to Kate, trying to break up the awkward moment. Before Kate can respond, Elliot stands up and approaches the two of us, leaving Sloan back at the sofa.

 _Oh no._ If I feel butterflies in my stomach, I can't imagine what Kate is feeling.

"Kate – it's so good to see you. _You look_ …" Elliot is actually speechless. It's too cute!

"Hi Elliot," she shyly replies. He embraces her and Kate awkwardly hugs back. Elliot then turns to me.

"Ana – thank you for keeping an eye…"

"Elliot – stop it. I've told you time and time again, Sloan is like one of our girls. When she's here, she's no different than Phoebe, Beth or Brie," I sigh at him. He gives me a powerful hug and kisses me on the cheek.

"So…how is the nightly news treating you?" Elliot warmly asks Kate.

"Very well, thanks. I heard about your big deal in Aspen. How did it go?" she responds.

"It went surprisingly well. That's why I was able to come home earlier than scheduled. The new resort is very eager for us to get started," he sparks.

"Wow, _Ellio_ …" I start to say, but Kate cuts me off.

"That's fantastic! But does that mean you get to work long-term in Aspen?"

"No, I have a more than capable team that will pick up the baton from here. I was only there to seal the deal. I'll visit from time to time to check on progress."

 _What's going on?_ I stand in the midst of them, feeling exactly like a third wheel. _Is this a rekindling of some sort?_ No, it can't be. They are simply being cordial to one another.

"Phoebe, why don't you take the girls to your newly renovated parlor," I hear Christian say from a distance.

"Dad, we spent _plenty_ of time in Phoebe's closet yesterday," Brie sighs in exasperation.

Phoebe looks quite puzzled by her father's random suggestion at first. Then something clicks and her expression immediately changes. It's as if she catches up to the wavelength, jumps on, and then rides it. _Huh? What's Christian up to?_ "Twins, Sloan…come with me for a second," Phoebe calls out to the girls. The twins reluctantly leave their father's side. Sloan joins them and they all trail out of the great room with Phoebe.

As Elliot and Kate go back and forth discussing work, Christian stands and then joins us in the center of the room. He leans into me.

"Baby, come here for a second. I have something to show you," he whispers into my ear. I frown at him. Before I can protest, he pleads. "Please."

Should I leave Kate alone with Elliot to follow Christian out unannounced, or do I stand my ground and remain here as her support. Then that same wavelength that Phoebe just caught eventually catches up to me. _My gosh – is Christian doing what I think he's doing?_ Is my husband intentionally trying to put Elliot and Kate back together again? _No!_ I am beside myself. I give Christian a smirk and take him by his outstretched hand.

"Excuse us for a moment," I say, interrupting Kate and Elliot. They both nod and continue on conversing as if I never said a single word. _Whoa!_ Christian and I walk a distance away in silence and end up in his study. He closes the door behind us.

"Mr. Grey, what are you up to?" I beam. He fights off a grin.

"What ever do you mean, Mrs. Grey?"

"Don't play innocent with me. Are you trying to hook your brother up with my best friend?"

He scoffs, but I know better. "What ever gave you that idea?" he replies.

"You just cleared a room faster than any of Sparky's farts ever could," I chuckle.  
 _Oh Sparky._ I really miss that dog. The kids and I never got over his loss years ago. To my surprise, the children never desired another dog after he passed away. Sparky was indeed the best.

Christian laughs. "I'm rather surprised myself with how well that worked," he says while wrapping his arms around me. He plants three quick kisses on my lips. I lean back and narrow my eyes at him.

"Talk. What are you doing?" I order.

"They're miserable, Ana. They've been miserable ever since they broke up twenty years ago," Christian sighs.

"Miserable? I never thought that either of them were _miserable_ ," I say, dumbfounded. As Christian gives me his _'you can't be serious'_ look, I immediately recall something that Kate said to me yesterday.

 _"I finally realized after all of this time the reason why I even accepted Tom's marriage proposal in the first place. It was all because I saw that Elliot had moved on and that I needed to move on…"_

I've always suspected Kate felt that Elliot was the one who got away, but I never actually heard her say those words. How can two people hold a torch for one another while they still have close ties through family, and never do a single thing about it?

"It's obvious, Ana. I mean, look at them. They're both raging workaholics trying to cover up something deep within," Christian argues.

"You're a workaholic too, Christian. So what does _that_ mean?" I lob back at him.

"Ana, I work hard because it's what I do. It's what I've _always_ done. Before you met me, I probably worked more back then than I do now. Working hard doesn't mean that I'm not happy with my life. In fact, I couldn't be happier. You and our children mean the entire world to me. In contrast, it's more than apparent that both Elliot and Kate are working like dogs because they are avoiding something. I've never known Elliot to put work over anything enjoyable. I was used to him telling me to lighten up and go out for a beer from time to time. Now, it's me saying the very same to him. _This_ isn't my brother. In fact, I haven't seen my brother be himself for a very long time," he says soberly.

Wow…I've never thought about that. I try to reflect back to when Elliot was still married to Lily. He even worked like crazy back then. It wasn't until Lily left him and Sloan that he let up to spend more time with daughter. Now that Sloan is older and has a life of her own, Elliot is back to working like a maniac, pushing Grey Construction up and over to the next level. I mean…it's good news for both Christian and I since we own a significant stake in his company. However, I rather see my brother-in-law happy over us becoming richer than we already are any day.

On the other hand, there's Kate. She's not only working the coveted anchor desk at one of the top local nightly news stations in Portland, but she is taking on dozens upon dozens of special assignments. Couple that with loads and loads of public speaking engagements, and Kate has zero to no time to herself. That's why I couldn't say _'no'_ to her paying us a visit this weekend. It's truly a privilege to be able to spend quality time with my best friend.

But with that said, are Kate and Elliot truly miserable? I really don't know the answer to that. I can speculate, which is exactly what Christian is doing now.

Or is he?

"But how do you know Elliot is _miserable_? Has he personally told you this?" I ask.

"Yes," Christian says, point blank. I gape at him.

"He has actually said the words: ' _I am miserable without Kate_ '?" I spell out.

"He has told me that he regrets that he didn't try harder with Kate. He still believes that she was his soul mate…just like you are mine," he says, as he looks dreamingly into my eyes with his longing grays. He pulls me in tighter to him. My breath catches.

I can't imagine longing for Christian and not being able to be with him. He and I have come so close to breaking up more than once a long time ago – way before our children were born, but he and I persevered. We knew that it was our destiny to be together, so we stayed the course. Elliot and Kate didn't do that. My heart absolutely breaks for them.

I hold on tightly to my husband and bury my head into his chest.

"I can't even imagine us not being together," I gasp, trying my best not to cry.

"It's something that should never even enter our minds, Bunny," he murmurs before kissing me twice on the crown of my head.

"I remember Kate's love and adoration for Elliot back when they were together. I could recognize the signs in her because I pretty much felt the same about you," I muse.

"And I knew that my brother was head over heals for Kate. I hope that they don't miss out on a perfect opportunity to change their course. Kate would make a wonderful maternal figure for Sloan. She's great with our daughters."

Christian's words confound me. Wow, he's actually thinking over and beyond _the now_. I can't believe what I am hearing. I couldn't have ever imagined Christian willing his brother to try again with my best friend – the very woman he used to bump heads with so hard many years ago. It's the very same woman who harshly confronted him in a crowded restaurant. Yes, _that_ Kate.

But many years have past and things have definitely changed for all parties involved. Kate admires how dedicated Christian is both as a husband and a father, and Christian has nothing but the utmost respect for Kate. Christian even granted her with an exclusive interview a few years back, which earned her a northwest regional Emmy award. Kate remains forever grateful to my husband for the honor.

Now we have my dear hubby playing cupid for possibly the first time ever in his life. Christian couldn't even see himself being in love many years ago, so him trying to hook up his older brother is all too precious to see. In fact, the very thought of it makes something deep within me tingle. I peel my head back from his chest and peer upwards, locking eyes with him.

"Is that door locked, Mr. Grey?" I purr. He narrows his eyes down at me.

"Mrs. Grey – what did you have in mind? We actually have company to entertain just outside of that door," he says, pretending to be coy.

"They won't miss us if we're gone for only fifteen minutes. Hell, let's give them twenty. Elliot and Kate have plenty to catch up on," I breathe. Christian leans down and kisses me. The kiss quickly heats up.

Our lips eventually smack apart. "Twenty minutes it is," he murmurs right before taking my mouth captive once more. Soon, he lifts me up in his strong arms and effortlessly carries me over to the sofa.

 ** _A/N: Faithful Readers – I apologize for the long delay. I have a really serious family situation happening right now and I am completely overwhelmed. When I am ready to talk about it, I will. Please trust that I have not forgotten about this story and I am truly invested in keeping it going. I only ask for your patience during this difficult time._**

 ** _In the next chapter: While at work, Ana hurriedly jumps to the rescue of one of her children. Major deals are heating up at Grey House, so Ana thinks that she's doing the right thing by keeping her husband in the dark until she is absolutely certain that the situation is dire enough to involve him. However, when Christian finds out what is going on, Ana's well-intentioned gesture of keeping silent is not well received. In fact, Señor Fifty Shades returns with a vengeance! Fret not – it might not be in the manner in which you think._** **:)**

 ** _Ted continues to cope with Sophie moving on, but not without first getting her to see the error of her ways._**

 ** _Feel free to find me on Facebook under the username storietella2. I will try to get some discussion threads started for this story on my page there. I also have a Pinterest under the same username._**

 ** _Thanks so much for reading. – ST2_**


	6. Chapter 6 - Our Lips Are Sealed

**Chapter 6 – Our Lips Are Sealed**

 _Ted  
Monday, September 15, 2031_

On my phone, I have a folder of images that contain only her.

There are photos of her from when we were still together.  
There are photos of her that were taken way before we professed our love for one another – snapshots from our childhood.

And for good measure, I also have photos of her that I lifted from her social media account – _beautiful_ photos. But of course every photo of Sophie that I have ever seen is _very_ beautiful.

For the past ten days, I've been swiping across this particular album of images quite frequently…even more than normal. But this time, I do so in order to attempt to diminish these intense feelings of betrayal.  
 _And anger._

If I can just see Sophie in the way that I've always have, maybe I wouldn't have such an innate desire to scream out my pain in her face, or cathartically punch out the asshole who has now taken my place.

 _Why couldn't she have just waited for me?!  
She said that she would!_

I arrive twenty minutes early and sit in the very same spot where I was this past Saturday at the campus library. Five minutes before 10:00 pm, Gerts slides into the seat directly across from me. In his usual bum-like frayed sweatpants and ratty maroon Stanford t-shirt, he begins talking discretely to me as he slides a manila folder before of me – opening it upside down from his current position.

"So – our girl apparently doesn't fuck with broke dudes. She maintains the trend with this _Aiden Glenn_ character – originally from Henderson, Nevada. He's the son of Steve Glenn – owner of a chain of automotive dealerships. Baby boy is an art major, going against the grain of his Pops," snickers Gerts as he pounds his index finger into the color printout facing me.

On the sheet is a photograph of a dickwad hipster with long blond hair and a lumberjack-looking, button-up long sleeved shirt. I cringe in utter disbelief.

 _I thought this look went out of style back when I was a baby!  
Sophie, Sophie, Sophie.  
For shame, Sophie!_

"Needless to say, he's not aiming to get into the family business. Well, unless the fam has a _side gig_ in street narcotics that I'm not aware of," Gerts chuckles. I roll my eyes. Gerts proceeds to flip over to the next page.

"The irony is that _little Aiden_ apparently got away with some major shit growing up in Nevada…including avoiding a drug possession charge back when he was in high school several years back."

 _Drugs?!  
_ I gape at him.

 _You've gotta be fucking kidding me.  
Does Taylor know about this?!  
Does Sophie even know?_

"Yeah dude," Gerts says, accurately picking up on my extreme sense of shock.

….

 _Ana  
Tuesday, September 16, 2031_

It's only Tuesday and this week has already panned out to be one of the most hectic weeks of my career.

I know that the hustle and bustle of multiple high-stake deals on the table all at once, along with the string of never-ending meetings that often progress into the middle of the night is old hat for Christian. But for me, I will never get used to it – even after twenty years of working here. And with children at home, it adds an additional layer of complexity.

However, at the same time, I hate leaving Christian high and dry…but he knows that our kids always come first.  
 _Always._

It's just before lunch hour and I am seated in a conference room with several members of the executive team. The rest of the staff congregate with Christian in a completely separate meeting as he and I attempt the _divide and conquer_ approach.

We have associates from Tokyo, Australia, and Germany scattered throughout Grey House this week. There are a marathon of meetings slated that will pretty much hold all of us captive in this building until agreements are reached and contracts are signed. This means that Andrea and Lola will be on hand to order in breakfast, lunch, and dinner all week while we are holed up in war rooms. It also means that I won't be getting home until just before eight o'clock each night. Only God knows when Christian will be able to break free.

 _Thank goodness for Mrs. Taylor.  
_ If we didn't have Gail's help taking care of the girls this week, Christian and I would lose our ever-loving minds.

"Ana – I don't know how lucrative this deal is with Stuttgart. _To me_ …it looks sexy on paper, but I'm just not seeing the long term value of acquiring that business," Marco argues. He hasn't changed his position since he first saw the initial proposal on his desk.

"Christian believes that we need to increase our presence in Germany," I remind him.

"But is _this_ the right way to do it?" Marco argues.

I shake my head, nod, and shrug my shoulders – all at once. Marco makes a good point. But what other opportunity do we have to grow as fast as we would like in Germany than with the deal that's currently sitting right in front of us?

"I honestly can't say. Our first assessment says ' _yes_ '. But now there's this cloud of doubt the second the Stuttgart team arrives," I submit, trying to disguise my irritation but losing the battle.

 _We had two months to get our shit in order, Marco. Two months._

"But we didn't have the complete picture until we met with them yesterday. They suddenly pull these new findings out of their asses. We didn't factor in that risk when we first gave them the impression that we were interested," counters Marco.

"They knew exactly what they were doing when they did that," chimes my finance executive with a skeptical brow.

"Not sure why they would even try it. They are probably unaware about how Christian operates. We'd have no qualms sending their asses back on that plane with _no_ _deal_ ," I snap.

Christian, Ros, Marco, and I need to sit in a room with the legal, finance, and analytics teams _pronto_ to re-SWOT and hammer this thing out before signing anything. But when do we even have the time to revisit this cluster-fuck? The German affiliates leave town first thing Thursday. And to top it off, we still need to get Australia and Tokyo in order.

 _Shit._

And Brie has her big indoor volleyball match tomorrow night.

 _Double shit._

My head is on the verge of exploding with everything that's going on.  
Christian and I seriously need to be cloned.

"Look, I'll have the proposal re-run right away with the new findings. We'll reconvene and meet up on this before the end of the day so we can give the Germans an answer by tomorrow afternoon," Marco proposes.

"Good. Get with Andrea and add Christian and Ros to the follow-up meeting. Also, you might want to meet with the Germans first in order to fill in any gaps before we meet this evening," I order.

"Sure thing, Ana," Marco replies.

"Let's break for now. Thanks everyone," I say, standing to dismiss the meeting.

Thirty minutes later, I am in my office combing through the old proposal and highlighting errors that I think Marco and team might not catch. I am also chomping down a tuna salad bagel.

Suddenly, there's a soft knock on the door that adjoins Christian's and my offices.

"Come in!"

Christian breezes in. He appears to be in a hurry

"Baby, how did it go?" he asks as he approaches me. Once he is at my side, he kisses the crown of my head and massages my shoulder. I look up at him.

"Marco is redoing the proposal for Stuttgart. He's pulling you and Ros in this evening so we can present our answer to the Germans tomorrow."

Christian frowns at me.

"Why? Just make the call, Ana."

"Honestly, my hands are tied. I can go either way with this," I sigh.

"Well _either way_ , you'll have to make the call. I'm leaving in an hour with the Australians and the Japanese to pull together our agricultural team in Portland. I won't be back in Seattle until sometime late tomorrow."

I gape at him.

" _What?_ Why? Why can't the Portland team just meet _here_?"  
My heart is now racing.  
 _This is insane!_

"We have to do a run-through at the WSU Vancouver research facility. _I know_ …I know that this is bad timing. I'm unfortunately going to have to miss Brianna's match tomorrow night," he says regretfully.

 _Oh no.  
_ She'll be absolutely crushed.

"Ros can't fill in for you?" I plead.

"No, this is way too important. It's going to have to be either you or me. Brianna will be disappointed that either of us will miss her big match, but I will take the fall. I'll give her a call tonight from the hotel to apologize."

I push my chair back away from my desk and lean back in disbelief. I'm speechless.

" _Ana_ …Ana please – this is a very important time in our company's history. You know this," he says, exasperated.  
 _He's annoyed with me?!_

"I know – but why does everything have to happen all at once like this? Why couldn't the Japanese wait another week and the Germans – _two_? Why do we have to make all of the decisions today?"

I feel so overwhelmed right now. As I close my eyes to process the madness, I feel Christian's hand lifting me up out of my chair. When I'm on my feet, he wraps his arms around my waist and looks at me with sincere gray eyes.

"Baby, we can do this. Once all of the deals are finalized this week, everything will go right back to normal. We're close to signing one of our biggest deals ever. This will definitely put us over the top – in _any_ industry, not just ours."

And the sense of pride and accomplishment evident on my husband's sweet lips is almost enough to soften the blow of him barely being at home. Christian has been a successful businessman for nearly three decades. Still, the potential that currently lies at his feet is beyond anything that he could have ever imagined. The very prospect of increasing his company's earning potential by 35% in just one year is mind blowing.

 _It'll land him back on the covers of Forbes and Fortune – concurrently._

Shit, who am I to curtail GEH's progress? I'm Christian's partner…both in business and in life. I'll simply pick up the slack as I always do.

"Sure – I'll handle tonight with Marco. And Brie will be fine. You go ahead and seal the deal in Portland," I say, forcing an encouraging smile. He bends down and kisses me soundly.

"Thank you, Bunny. I love you. And if you need anything, call me."

"Sure. I love you too," I say sweetly. His gray eyes flicker and appear more determined.

"I mean it. You call me if you need me," he reiterates.

"I will. But know that I will _always_ need you," I murmur sweetly. He kisses me again.

"I know, baby," he says just before one last smooch. "I'll text you when I land in Portland."

Thirty minutes later, I am emailing my edits to Marco. I have a budgeting update meeting shortly that I need to quickly prep for. While in the middle of me brushing up on some pre-meeting material, my cell phone rings.

 _It's the school._

My heart stills.  
 _What could it possibly be now?_

"Hello?" I answer nervously.

"Is this Mrs. Grey?" a man's voice pipes through the earpiece.

"Yes…this is she."

"This is Coach Lawrence. Brie had an accident during practice a short time ago."

Oh my God!  
I can feel the blood draining from my veins.

 _No! Not my baby girl!_

"Oh no, what happened?!" I respond loudly, my voice cracking.

 _No…not my baby.  
Not my baby._

"She collided with a teammate during a play and _landed_ …"

"Is that my Mom?! Tell her to hurry… _please_!" I hear my daughter crying out in the background.

 _Oh no…not my Brie!  
Mommy's coming!_

Not wasting another second, I grab my purse and hightail it towards the door.

"Is that Brie?!" I call out to the coach.

"Yes, she just got loaded into the ambulance and she's on her way over to Children's Hospital. The paramedics would like for you to meet them there."

"I'm **_not_** leaving her!" I hear another familiar voice angrily shout.

"Beth, your sister will be fine. Your mother's on her way. Why don't you return to class," I hear a gentle woman's voice in the background placate my other daughter.

"No – I'm not leaving Brie!" Beth strikes back.

"Tell them to hold on – I'm on my way!" I call out in a hurry as I absentmindedly disconnect the call. Once I reach the lobby, I frantically stab the button to the elevator several times.

"Ana, is everything okay?"  
I turn and see Andrea, the _still-very-attractive_ blonde with deep concern etched on her kind face. Lola sits nearby, equally concerned.

"I have to run. If anyone needs me, I'll have my cell," I say in a hurry. Andrea swiftly springs up from her seat and quickly hands me my fall coat as the elevator arrives. I dash inside.

….

 _Thursday, February 22, 2018  
(Flashback)_

It was early last month when I sensed that something was… _different_.  
And although I felt _different_ , it was quite a familiar feeling.

I felt the same way when I was pregnant with both Teddy and Phoebe. So one day on a hunch, I stopped by a drug store on the way home from work and purchased a pregnancy test. When I got home, I ceremoniously peed on a stick. It was then when I discovered that my hunch was justified.

 _I'm pregnant._

Who knew that catching a bad cold from Teddy – which lingered on for two weeks – would lead me to getting an antibiotics prescription? And who knew that I'd end up becoming _a statistic,_ where the antibiotics that I was taking would counteract with my birth control?

The (not-so) funny thing about it is that I switched from the shot to the pill a year ago. I discovered that the risks of the shot were no longer worth the trouble. Never mind that Christian and I had to wait a whole year off of the shot to successfully try for our second child. But it was when my mother had _a scare_ , which fortunately ended up being negative, that she highly encouraged me to stop getting the shot.

 _"Ana dear, Depo-Provera increases your chances of getting breast cancer."_

 _So does everything else in life, Carla._

Had I remained on the shot, the antibiotics probably wouldn't have cancelled out the birth control in my system. Apparently, the antibiotics _pimp-slapped_ the estrogen from the pill. This wouldn't have been the case had I stayed on the shot – but that's of course water under the bridge now.

So…I'm pregnant. Again.

Although we remain open to having another child after Phoebe, Christian and I didn't plan on it happening so soon. Hell, I'm not even twenty-nine years old yet and I will already have three small children. _Three_.

 _Good Lord._

Christian and I just recently got into a nice groove with our two children. Teddy just turned five and is now in kindergarten, while Phoebe is going on three and is gearing up for nursery school. They are both potty-trained. Now, Christian and I have to begin the entire process all over again before the year ends with a brand new baby.

There was this sense of fear in me that evening…having to tell my husband that I was indeed unexpectedly pregnant. But to my astonishment, he was more than receptive. His reaction was lightyears away from _the Las Vegas fiasco of 2012_. It was not even close.

Christian has been the perfect father to our two little ones. So I have zero doubt that he will be the same towards this new little blip now taking up residence in my belly.

Christian Grey was born to be a father.

So today, as we wait for Dr. Greene to enter the room, our only hope is that this little one that I'm carrying is thriving and born healthy.

During this time of day, instead of having lunch at a restaurant that's walking distance from Grey House, I lay flat in a dimly lit exam room wearing a hospital gown. Christian is seated in a stool beside me, holding my hand and showering me with kisses every now and again. Still – I'm extremely nervous.

"Baby…it's going to be fine. I'm sure of it," he murmurs sweetly. I sigh.

"I can't help but worry. I read online about women miscarrying when conceiving while on…"

"Stop it. I told you about _WebMD-ing_ everything. It's only going to make you feel more anxious," he scolds. I grin guiltily.

"I know, but WebMD is a mom's best friend. How else would I've known that Phoebe had a double ear infection last year?"

"Its fine every once in a while, but you always end up going down the rabbit hole and thinking that the kids have lime disease from every insect bite. It's counterproductive, baby. You already have enough to worry about just being a mother."

He's right, but I continue to be stubborn…especially when it comes to our children. I decide to shift the subject.

"I'm about eight weeks now. Dr. Greene may be able to tell us what we are having. What are you hoping for?"

He doesn't hesitate to respond. "I'm hoping for what I've always hoped for, Mrs. Grey – a healthy child with a healthy mother."

I smile up at him and he leans down to peck me on the lips once more. Suddenly, a rap on the door makes the two of us quickly turn our heads and face it. Dr. Greene saunters in.

"So, are we ready to see this baby?" she beams. We both smile cautiously and nod at her. "Are Ted and Phoebe excited for their new baby brother or sister?" she asks.

"Phoebe, yes. Teddy…well it remains to be seen. He's just finally getting used to _not_ being the lone center of the universe," I quip. Christian chuckles.

"Ted will manage. He always have. He's resilient. He's a _Grey man_ ," Christian adds boastfully as he repositions his tie inside of his dark suit jacket.

Teddy certainly can't do wrong in his father's eyes. He is Christian's pride and joy. Always has been…always will be. Even if this new baby is a boy, Teddy will always be Christian's #1 opening-day baseball and fishing buddy.

Christian Grey and Theodore Grey are truly two peas in a pod.

"I'm sure of it," Dr. Greene beams as she walks over to the nearby sink to wash her hands. After she dries them, she slaps on a pair of latex gloves before she heads back my way with a plastic bottle in hand.

"Well Ana…you know the drill. _It's cold gel and wiggly wand_ time," the doctor peps. I give her a tight smile and a weak nod. Now sitting in the rolling stool opposite Christian, she awakens the computer screen and presses a few keys. Soon, she opens up my gown in front, exposing my belly before squeezing out the cold gel over it. Taking the wand in hand, she's places it against the gel and rolls it across the lower half of my belly.

"Déjà vu, huh?" Christian murmurs close by. I restrain a giggle.

"It's like we do this every two years," I respond. I catch the grin on Dr. Greene's face, but she says nothing.

"We pretty much have this thing down to a routine, Mrs. Grey," he jokingly adds.

"So, are the grandparents _in the know_ yet?" Dr. Greene speaks as she focuses intently on the monitor. I now follow her along, still not having a clue as to _what in the world_ I'm looking at – even though I've gone through this during my two previous pregnancies. To me, it's just a series of swirly images – and I can never recognize the blip this early until Dr. Greene points it out to me.

You'd think that technology would have advanced to the point where we could actually see television-quality images of babies in the womb today. _Not so much._

"Not yet. We plan on telling them tonight if all goes well," I answer, cautiously optimistic. I shift my view from the monitor to the profile of Dr. Greene. She's silent for a few beats as she strategically waves the wand around and across my lower abdomen.

"Well…it's looking good so far – but I've only just begun," she says. But for some reason, the expression on her face doesn't quite give me the _warm fuzzies_.

I turn my head and look up at Christian, who appears to be equally as concerned by Dr. Greene's reluctance to relay exactly what she is seeing.

 _Oh no…he notices her hesitancy too._

But quickly, Christian catches himself and looks down at me with a smile put on mainly for my benefit. He knows how I get when I'm nervous, so he wants to assure me that everything is _peachy_.

My husband is the most selfless person that I know. If doubt ever looms within, he makes certain that I don't know about it. He's more concerned with making sure that I _never_ worry.

"Mrs. Grey – we're in a position in our household where _the battle of the sexes_ could tilt to either side," he smirks.

"Yeah, I know. It's _two_ against _two_ right now," I smile up at him. Christian eyes widen as if something suddenly comes to mind.

"Well actually, that's not true. The boys currently outnumber the girls," he grins with pride. I frown at him.

What in the hell is he talking about?  
 _Is he predicting that I'm having a boy?_

Then it finally dawns on me.  
"Oh yeah…Sparky," I giggle.  
The dog.

"This new one could either extend the lead for the boys, or even up the score," he humors. I laugh.

"So we need another girl," I beam as I carefully turn my head back in the doctor's direction. Just then, I see her eyes are now agape. My heart stills.

 _My God – what's going on?  
Why isn't she saying anything?_

I start to feel panic, and Christian sees it.

"What is it?" he finally says to her. She's silent for a few moments and then slowly blinks both eyes a single time.

"Well…how does _two_ sound?" she speaks out.

 _What did she just say?_

I look at the screen and then I quickly turn my head and see Christian now standing up, hovering over me to get a closer look at the screen.

" _Wh_ …what…did you just say?" I stutter.

" _Two_?" Christian follows up, and he's just as stunned as I am.

 _Two?  
Two…babies?_

"Yes. Here's one…" she says as she pans with the wand and suddenly stills it. She then zooms in and takes a snapshot which freezes on part of the screen.

"…and there's the other." She moves the wand again for a few moments, stills it, zooms in, and takes another snapshot.

The doctor then removes the wand from my belly, presses a button on her keyboard, and reaches for a completely different wand. The moment she places the new wand on my belly, we hear the faint rapid pulsating sound of a tiny vacuum hose. I instantly know that it's a heartbeat. I've heard the sound time and time again, but this time – it's quieter and more erratic than I've ever heard it.

"Two separate heartbeats. It's quite faint, but you can hear it better in a couple weeks," Dr. Greene quips. Suddenly, the earlier look of uncertainty departs from her face and a broad smile now resides. She then turns from the screen and looks over at us to find that both Christian and I are both at a loss, to say the very least.

 _Oh. My. God._

" _Bu_ …but twins don't run in my family. I thought that they pretty much had to?" I barely whisper to the doctor. I hear Christian's body suddenly flop back down into his seat.

"Not necessarily – especially in the case of identical twins, which is what we could be looking at here. We won't know if they are for sure until they are DNA tested after birth."

 _Holy shit._

My life suddenly flashes before of my eyes.  
 _How in the hell can I raise four small children and still work?  
It'll be impossible! _

Although I have the utmost respect for moms who choose to stay at home full-time, I just don't have it in me to do that. I've always envisioned working while the kids were in school. Now with Teddy, Phoebe, and the soon-coming newborn twins, how on God's green earth will I be able to manage a full-time job?

 _Should I just go to working part-time?_

Hell – that would most certainly throw a monkey wrench into Christian's plans of making me co-CEO of GEH. I've been functioning as the Chief of Staff for the past six years. Christian believes that I'm more than ready to step up and help him run the company.

 _But can I do it with Teddy, Phoebe, and two new babies?  
_ I can't possibly see being co-CEO now. Christian and I definitely have _a lot_ to talk about when we get home tonight.

I look back at dear my husband, who's now as white as the walls in this very room.

"Twins?" Christian says, still gaping at Dr. Greene.

"Yes, Mr. Grey. _Twins_. And from what I'm seeing…twin girls."

"Holy shit… _two_ of them?" my poor, traumatized husband says in absolute shock and disbelief.

And something strange happens. I have this sudden urge to want to laugh at his bewilderment. My face forms an involuntary smile and a gasp in place of a laugh slips out of my mouth.

"Well…looks like the _Grey Girls_ have taken the lead," I goad.

….

 _Tuesday, September 16, 2031_

 _(The Present)_

"I'm looking at the updated proposal now. I see that you've made the changes," I say quietly with my tablet in hand, while chatting hands free with Marco on a single earbud.

"Yes…and there's a shift in the forecast based on the update from Dagmar. There is a drop…but it's not as significant as I thought it might be," Marco responds.

"My life is completely over, and she's still taking crummy work calls!" Brie huffs as the orthopedic doctor puts the finishing touches on her cast. It's located on her right foot starting just below her toes, and it goes up to her shin. I mute my call for a brief second.

"I'll be off soon. And your life is _far_ from over. It's a clean fracture on your ankle and you'll only be in a cast for a month," I say in a sweet tone before unmuting my call.

"The region is ideal and the rewards currently outweigh the risks," I say to Marco.

"The doctor said it could be up to six weeks, Mom," Beth interjects as she's virtually attached to her twin sister's left hip.

"I think I'm finally there with you, Ana," Marco says in my ear.

"But it could happen sooner if your sister heals well," the kind older male doctor tries to reassure both girls.

"I'm going to miss some big games! Then I have to go to rehab!" whines Brie.

"Sweetheart…it could've been _way_ worse. Be grateful," I say to Brie.

"I'm sorry?" Marco says, taken aback.

 _Holy shit…I forgot to hit mute!_

"Marco, I'm _so_ sorry…I'm speaking to one of my kids," I say, blushing.

"Is everything okay?" he says, concerned.

"Yeah, sure…everything's fine. I'll be back in tomorrow," I assure him.

"What?! It's not _fine_! Why are you still going in to work tomorrow?!" Brie laments, having a meltdown.

 _Shit!_  
"Wait just a second, Marco," I say before muting the call.

"Brie…honey, it's going to be okay. You can stay home and rest tomorrow and go back to school on Thursday if you want. Mrs. Taylor will look after you and I'll simply work a half day," I say calmly.

"And I'll stay home all day with you," Beth confidently reassures her sister. I narrow my eyes at her.

"You will do no such thing, young lady," I scold. Beth gapes at me, shocked.

"Why not?"

"Because, you're not the one in the cast and Mrs. Taylor is more than capable to take excellent care of your sister. I'll aim to be home by two. Brie will be fine. Now let me finish this call so I can get us home."

"You drove? Where's Taylor?" Beth asks.

"With your Dad."

"Where's Dad?"

"In Portland on business. He'll be home tomorrow night."

" _Tomorrow night_?!" Brie says, appalled.

 _Double shit!_

I guiltily shut my eyes, recalling that _um, yeah_ – Christian was supposed to be calling her this evening in order to break the news.

"So he was planning on missing my big game tomorrow anyway!" she cries out in anger.

"Honey… _I_ was going to be there," I say in a calm voice.

"That _stupid_ business! It's all you two ever care about!"

Right on cue, the orthopedic doctor quietly excuses himself, promising his prompt return. But I know better…he's only leaving to avoid my daughter destroying his exam room in a rage. _Smart man_.

"Brie, that's not true. Mom came right away," Beth says, trying to calm down her twin.

"Well where's Dad now?! He should've come too! And he should've been going to my game tomorrow!" Brie spits back.

This is _not_ like my Brie. She's just very upset and emotional right now. And rightly so. I get up from my seat with my phone in hand and sit right next to my hurting baby on the exam table, opposite her sister. I wrap my arm around her and kiss her on her forehead.

"Brie…sweetie – Daddy is in the middle of two major deals worth _a lot_ of money right now. Once he's finished tomorrow, he won't miss another game – I promise," I reassure her.

"We don't need any more money, Mom. We have _a lot_ of money," she whimpers.

"I know…but we also have to think about the tens of thousands of people who work for us. They have to take care of their families too," I murmur.

Beth looks sympathetic, but Brie appears as if she having _none of it_.

….

"I thought you were done with work stuff? I need you to stay here with me and watch movies."

My over-dramatic, injured, soon-to-be thirteen year old comfortably lays in Christian's and my bed with a food tray filled with goodies sprawled across her. Her twin sister remains right by her side as I sit at their feet. Both girls are already dressed in matching flannel nightgowns, even before Mrs. Taylor has prepared dinner. I still don my black skirt and tan blouse from work.

"We'll watch movies, I promise. I just need to finalize this deal with Germany today before we meet with them tomorrow. It'll only take an hour in my study," I reassure her.

My phone promptly rings and I quickly answer it.

"Hi Luke."

"Mrs. Grey…I have Miss Phoebe in the car with me, but I'm now at the middle school and the twins haven't…"

 _Shit!_

"The twins are at home with me. I completely forgot to call you. I'm _so sorry_. My brain is absolutely fried today," I say, rubbing my forehead in exhaustion.

"No…it's not a problem. I'm just relieved that you have them," he exhales.

"Yes, they are both right here with me."

"Hey Mr. Sawyer – Brie and I got to ride to the hospital in an ambulance!" Beth yells over the phone proudly. I close my eyes and shake my head at her, smiling.

"An ambulance?" Luke gasps.

 _Oh boy. He's going to panic. Then he's going to call Taylor and Taylor's going to tell his boss._

" _What?!_ " I hear Phoebe exclaim in the background.

 _Hell, and then Phoebe's going to call her dad…_

"Everything's fine now. You'll both find out what happened when you get here," I sigh.

"I'm _not_ fine, Mom…I am broken…"

"Brie – cut it out! You'll live!" I bark in irritation.

"You're mean! I want my Daddy!" she exaggerates a pout.

 _Jesus, girl – stop being such a brat._  
It was a clean fracture. It could've been way worse.  
In fact, I feared the worse as I sped all the way to the hospital.

"Miss Phoebe and I will be there shortly," Sawyer says.

"See you soon," I say before we end the call.

"Can I call Daddy now?" Brie asks.

"Not now…he's going to call you tonight when he gets to the hotel."

"Does he even know that I got hurt?"

 _Oh no.  
_ My stomach's in knots.

 _He is going to freak._ Brie's fine now…he doesn't need the added stress tonight with so much on his plate. He has two extremely important deals to close in Portland between today and tomorrow.

 _I have everything here all under control.  
_ If things were _really_ bad, Christian would've been the first person I called. But Brie's fracture was clean, she's now in a cast, and both she and her sister are safe and sound in our bed. All's well that ends well. There's nothing else that Christian can do anyway except wait four to six weeks for Brie's ankle to heal.

But then I wonder if I should just call him anyway and assure him before he calls Brie that she is fine and not to worry about things back home. He just needs to stay put in Portland until tomorrow and handle business there.

"Sweetie, I don't want Daddy to worry. You know how he gets," I caution.

"But why shouldn't he worry? I broke my ankle!"

She doesn't get it. Right now, it's all about her. She's almost a teenager, so her self-centered point-of-view will probably remain intact until she graduates college.

"Brie, the second Dad comes home and sees you in a cast, he won't let you out of his sight – _ever_. Do you want that?" Beth pleads to her twin with wide, forewarning eyes.

And I can't help but laugh. Beth has witnessed this first hand when her big sister Phoebe bruised her knee five years ago while shooting hoops with friends. Christian didn't take his eyes off of her until that bruise healed completely.

" _Ever_ ," Beth ominously reiterates.

Soon, Brie puffs up her chest and pokes out her bottom lip.

"I don't care. I need him here too," she pouts.

Geez – I give up. And apparently, so does Beth. She's now rolling her eyes at her twin, exasperated.

"Look – Beth, take care of your sister while I finish up this business deal in my study. I'll be back in an hour in my PJs. Then we'll all eat dinner in bed and watch a movie."

"Phoebe too?" Brie says, again with the whiney voice.

"Of course. It'll be girls' night here in bed while Daddy's away. How does that sound?"

Finally, Brie perks up for the first time all afternoon. "Yay!" she cheers.

"You have an hour to choose two movies for us to watch," I say as I stand and walk towards the top of the bed to hug and kiss both girls.

….

 _Ted_

She needs to know who it is that she's engaged to.

I honestly can't see Sophie consciously ignoring the fact that her new fiancé has a history with drugs. It's inconceivable.

I sit outside in the commons area with a brand new burner phone in hand. With her cell phone number already keyed in, all I need to do is hit the _send_ button. A charge of fear rushes in me in waves.

 _I will either be a hero, or a complete villain._

Either way, she needs to steer clear from this _Aiden character_. He's bad news.  
I finally hit the send button, and the line promptly rings.

I idly wonder if she would send an unknown number with a 650 area code directly to voicemail.

It rights twice.  
It rings a third time.

When I expect it to ring a forth, someone picks up.  
My heart races.

"Hello?" a sweet familiar voice speaks.

 _Thank God._

"Sophie? This is Ted."

"Teddy? Hey there!"

The sound of her voice send butterflies aflutter in my stomach.  
It's sickening.

"Hey there. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No…not at all. What's up? How have you been? How's Cali?"

"Cali's… _Cali_. Are you doing well?"

"Not too bad. Classes are already kicking my butt. I'm glad it's almost over. Oh…sorry – I know you have a long ways to go," she chuckles.

"Not really. I'll be done two more semesters from now."

"Really?! Aren't you just a sophomore now?" she says, taken aback.

"No, I'm essentially a _junior and a half_ ," I sigh. "I'm on the accelerated program. You know this. I've told you."

"Oh…that's right! I forgot that you were on the fast track. Anxious to run the _multi-billion dollar family business_ , I see," she wise cracks. It smarts.

 _That was harsh, Sophie._  
But I've known this girl my entire life and I know that she didn't say it to be bitchy. At least I hope she didn't.

"Well if all goes well, Missy – perhaps I can become the future CEO of Amazon instead," I volley back at her.

"Hey, I don't doubt one bit that you could do it. You can do anything you put your mind to, Teddy. You've always exceeded everyone's expectations. But why would you want to climb up some public firm, when you have GEH right on a silver platter?" she reasons with a sweet voice.

 _Uh…my dad – for one._  
And even though Dad thinks that I am on the fast track just to wind up working at GEH, it's the last place I want to be.

I want to make a name from myself.  
Away from his influence.

 _Away from his control._

And if Sophie can just get her shit together and drop the _Zero_ that she's supposedly _engaged to_ , we can go on and live happily ever after.

So how do I introduce this _um_ … _news_ to her about her drug possessing paramour?  
Yes – this asshole is currently occupying my rightful place.

"Well…between you and me, I'd like to try out my own thing and see how it goes," I finally respond.

"I totally get that. And you should get out there…spread your wings. I'm so proud of you, Teddy," she says in a sincere tone.

 _Oh no._

I didn't like her tone just then. She now sounds more like the mature older friend than the girl who once claimed that she loved me.

I need to get to the bottom of this.

"So um…you were telling me over DMs two weeks ago that you were engaged to someone named Aiden. How did _that_ happen?" I finally spit out. The instant I say the words, my heart begins to _really_ thump. It's as if my body's natural defenses are on high alert…preparing for the absolute worse.

"I met Aiden a year ago here on campus. Hey, didn't my dad tell you…"

A year ago?! Is she fucking kidding me?!  
I cut her off mid-sentence.

"A year ago? Were you seeing him when…"

"No! Oh hell no!" she cuts me off.

 _Phew._  
I exhale in relief, but my relief is short lived.

 _We just had sex six weeks ago!  
How did she get engaged so fast to someone else?!_

"It's not adding up. I'm just not seeing how you wouldn't be seeing him while we were…"

"Look, I know what you're thinking. Aiden was courting me _hard_ the entire time, but I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want to hurt you."

Too late, you already have.

"Does he know about me?" The question effortlessly escapes my lips.

" _He_ …he knows that there was someone back home, and that we were having a difficult time being together due to some _um_ …complicated family issues," she says very carefully.

 _Was_?  
Am I now in the past tense?

Shit…who am I fooling? Of course I'm in the past.  
 _She's engaged, idiot!_

"But we never discussed this! I thought that we were still… _a thing_?"  
I now find myself raising my voice at her.

"Teddy…we have to be realistic here. I'm in Seattle…you're in California."

I'm starting to feel my blood boil.

"But I told you, I'm coming back there and even taking classes at UW for a semester! Why is distance suddenly an issue now?"

She sighs. "It's not just the distance in miles, Ted – it's everything else. You know what I'm talking about. You're calling me from a weird phone number. I can't even come over to your family's house anymore…the place where I practically grew up. Did you really think that things would eventually work out between us if I can't even sit at the same dinner table with you and your parents? Look, I've already had a number of dinners with my future in-laws. They have both welcomed me with open arms."

 _Is she fucking kidding me right now?!_

I am beside myself.

"Look, you obviously don't know…"

"Teddy, Teddy…I _really_ have to go right now. I'm super late for my study group. We need to finish this project tonight. I would like to finish this discussion tomorrow. Pretty please? We needed to have this talk, and I'm just so sorry that I've waited this long to have it with you."

I take the burner phone away from my ear and stare it at, dumbfounded. I honestly feel like someone is playing a really bad practical joke right now.

Yeah, we absolutely need to finish this discussion and I need to tell her that her so-called-fiancé is nothing but trouble. Hopefully the revelation will knock some sense into this girl's head.

"Fine, tomorrow. Call me at this number," I say curtly.

"Teddy…don't be upset with me, okay? We'll finish this discussion. Does noon work, or will you be in class?"

"Noon is fine."

"Great. I promise…I'll call you. I've gotta go now."

"Yeah, we'll talk later," I say, hanging up the phone without as much as a goodbye.

Sophie has more than disappointed me. I'm _extremely_ pissed off at her.

She does _not_ know the true meaning of _love_.  
When you are in love, regardless of the obstacles, you fucking fight!

You _stay_ …and you _fight_!

Instead, she gives up and moves on to the very first thing that feels… _normal_. Yeah, I know that my family (particularly my Dad) is fucked up, but she's always known that! I told her to wait for me!

I had a plan!  
I had a plan **for us**!

Yet, she collapses just short of the finish line and lets some hippy burnout carry her in the total opposite direction.

But in spite of my anger and sheer disappointment, I still can't help but care deeply about her.

….

 _Ana_

I'm in my bed with my three girls, giggling away in our flannel PJs as we watch a very old movie from back in my day – _Clueless_.

Earlier, Phoebe dressed up her little sister's cast with a decorative hot pink wrap. Tomorrow, the girls will decorate it with artwork and cute little rhinestones. Brie really likes having her cast now, thanks to her big sister.

"Alright chicas – the moment this movie ends, its _lights out_ ," I remind them.

"Yeah, yeah…don't remind us," Phoebe says, dreading going to sleep.

"But we're all sleeping _here_ , right Mom? That's what you said," Beth is quick to remind me.

"Yes…it is indeed girls' night," I pep. The three of them cheer in unison.

"Alright, settle down now – here comes the good part," I whisper excitedly. The girls eagerly refocus on the large screen illuminated on the wall. Suddenly during a quiet beat in the movie, I hear a buzzing sound. Soon, all four of us are checking our phones. Brie's the winner.

"It's Dad," she says, gaping at me.

Shit.

And just when I think she's going to pick up, she quickly silences it.

"Oh snap!" Phoebe gapes in surprise.

"I thought you _really_ wanted to talk to him?" Beth says, shocked.

"After the movie," Brie quips, placing a finger over her lips to quiet her sisters.

Earlier, this same girl was literally crying for her Daddy. Now she won't even give him the time of day. She's totally back to normal now. I smile, but soon my positivity is short-lived.

 _Dammit, I'll have to call him or he's going to have a conniption.  
_ I resolve to take my phone and call him outside of the bedroom.

"I'm going to go out and call Daddy and let him know that everything's fine," I say quietly to the girls. The three of them have their eyes completely fixed on the screen and pay me no mind whatsoever. I smile to myself before making my way out of the room.

Just as I shut the bedroom door behind me, my phone silently lights up. Christian is now calling me. I answer promptly.

" _Hey_ …"

"What's going on?" he says, frantically cutting me off.

 _Oh boy._

" _Well_ …"

"I've been trying to call you for the past hour. And I called Brianna…then her sisters. No one's picking up."

"Sorry…we're all in the bed watching our second movie of the night," I say with a smile.

"In _our_ bed?"

"Yes…the girls and I are having us a little slumber party while you're away."

"Is that so?" And the sweetness in his voice tells me that he hasn't a clue about Brie's incident from earlier. I instantly dread telling him. I decide to lead him to it gently.

"So, how are negotiations going?" I inquire as I continue walking towards the main room. I wave at Mrs. Taylor along the way as she waters some of the indoor plants. She's always taking excellent care of us as well as the main house.

"Finalizing the Australian deal was a cakewalk. It's done."

" _Tha_ …that's great!"

"It's Tokyo that's being a pain in the ass. We haven't finished negotiations with them yet. I'm simply taking a break for the moment. I predict that discussions are going to take us into the middle of the night and go on for most of tomorrow. They are being _so_ …unreasonable."

It's quite obvious that he's operating under a high amount of stress right now.  
 _My poor husband._

"Have you turned up the _Christian Grey charm_ yet? No one can ever refuse you once you're in your element," I flirt.

"I'm about to tell them to kiss my ass, quite frankly," he says with a quiet fury.  
 _Holy hell._

"You'll do no such thing. I've seen the proposal. We need this deal with Tokyo."

"Don't you think I know that, Ana? This whole thing is _fucking_ stressing me out. I'm getting too old for this shit," he growls through gritted teeth.

 _Oh no._

And instantly, I feel good about keeping quiet concerning Brie's incident. She's fine and happily resting in bed with her sisters and me. Christian needn't worry about anything else right now.

"Is there anything that you need me to do?" I ask.

"No, baby. I'm sorry for unloading on you."

"You're not _unloading_. We're a team, Christian. If there's anything I can do, you know that I'll help," I reassure him.

"No, I've got this. It'll get done. I just need to find that sweet spot and close this deal before we leave tomorrow."

 _Yes, he's the master of discovering sweet spots.  
_ I quickly brush off the wayward thought.

"You'll do it. I have faith that you will."

"I know, Bunny. It's you and the kids that keep me going. Hey, speaking of…does Brianna know about tomorrow night? Did you tell her that I couldn't make it to her match?"

 _Oh shit.  
I need to tell him now. _

But suddenly, there's something within that transforms me into chicken shit.

"Yes, she knows about you having to work until late tomorrow," I say to him.

Well, it's the truth.

"How did she take the news?"

"She was _um_ …pretty bummed. But then I explained to her that you had some very important GEH business to attend to, and reassured her that I would be there."

 _Dammit Ana…just dig that hole deeper, why don't you._

" _Shit_ ," Christian breathes, audibly disappointed by the thought of his daughter's reaction. "Tell her that Daddy is _extremely_ sorry and that I will absolutely make it up to her. She's young now, but when she's older, she'll understand how important these business deals are. At the end of the day, I am ultimately doing this for her, Bethany, Phoebe, and Ted."

And suddenly, the _spirit of my daughters_ enters me and I roll my eyes at the notion.  
 _We're already filthy rich, Grey.  
We don't need to earn any more money for our children._

"Mrs. Grey…did you just roll your eyes at me?"

 _How does he know?!_

"Uh… _maybe_ ," I say guiltily.

"Look, I have to get back to the negotiations. Kiss all of the girls and tell them that I love them and will see them tomorrow night."

"I will."

"Oh, and by the way, I read your email on the verdict for Stuttgart. Excellent call, baby. I'm so very proud of you," he says lovingly.

I instantly light up under his praise.

"So glad that you approve, Mr. Grey," I tease.

"When I get home tomorrow, we'll _really_ celebrate. Just the two of us," he coos.

And everything below my waist ignites.  
 _Oh boy._

"I'll hold you to it. Now, get back to work," I say, breathless.

"Sure thing, boss. I'll speak with you tomorrow sometime before I head home. I love you so much, baby."

"I love you too, Mr. Grey. Knock 'em dead."

As I end the call with my husband, I am left swooning. And even though I feel mostly positive – there's still this nagging feeling deep down inside of me that wonders if I truly made the right call by not telling him about Brie.

….

 _Wednesday, September 17, 2031_

I wake up very early in the morning with the extreme urge to pee.

I find myself in a sea of my daughters; all three of them huddled tightly around me as they slumber soundly.

 _Shit – this is going to be a chore.  
_ I need to escape quietly to use the bathroom without disturbing any of them.

 _You can do this, Ana.  
You're Ninja Mom. _

I find a slight opening in between Beth and Phoebe, and I carefully slide through.  
 _Almost there._

Soon, I find myself successfully out of bed and on solid ground. I carefully turn and head towards the master bathroom. Just as I creep, I hear someone quietly clearing their throat. I still.

 _That didn't sounds like any of the girls._

Slowly, I turn to my right and immediately see my husband of all people slouching in the recliner on the other end of the room. I do a double take, rubbing my eyes.  
He's still there, and he appears to have been watching us sleep.

 _Why is he home so early?  
Did the deal with Tokyo fall through? _

His tie is loose and the top two buttons of his white shirt are unfastened. He's also wearing black suit pants and dress shoes. It's what he was wearing yesterday morning. Swinging freely in his hand just below his knee is an almost-empty crystal tumbler containing a brown, translucent liquid.  
 _I'm pretty sure that's bourbon._

Suddenly, an eerie feeling of déjà vu slaps me square in the face.  
 _I've seen him do this very thing before.  
_ The last time, this happened, he was _royally_ pissed at me.

Holy shit.

He does _not_ look happy. Not in the slightest. I carefully detour from my previous route and head towards him instead.

"Christian…why are you home so early? What happened?" I whisper as I now stand before him. He narrows his eyes at me and angrily points over to our bed.

 _What – is it because the girls are in our bed?  
_ I already told him that we were having a girls' sleepover. He surely wouldn't be upset over that. _He didn't say that he'd be home early._

But suddenly I realize that he's pointing at something a little more specific. I then turn to look over at the bed and immediately see Brie's bright pink cast peering out from underneath the covers.

Fuck.

* * *

 ** _A/N: There's still more to cover here, but I will have to continue on in the next chapter. Therefore, the A/N preview from chapter 5 still applies here, haha!_**

 ** _In the next chapter, Christian punishes Ana, while Teddy chastises Sophie. Like father, like son._** **:)**

 ** _I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	7. Chapter 7 - Set Fire To The Rain

**Chapter 7 – Set Fire To The Rain**

 _Wednesday, September 17, 2031  
(continued)_

 _Ana_

I stand before him, flabbergasted.

 _How does he know?  
Who told him?  
Was it Taylor through Gail…or Luke?_

And part of me feels betrayed that those two would even _dare_ to squeal on me.

Okay – so I didn't really tell Gail or Luke not to say a word about Brie's broken ankle, but I've sort of _alluded_ to it. I mentioned that Christian was quite overwhelmed with the marathon of meetings in Portland and that he didn't need to be worrying about Brie. Our baby girl was home safe and recovering from her sports injury. There's nothing that Christian could do here other than wait on Brie hand and foot, which is pretty much what everyone in the house has been doing anyway.

If it wasn't Gail or Luke who told, did Christian perhaps find a way to spy on us once he got away from his meeting late last night? Maybe he pulled up earlier recorded footage on his tablet and so happened to catch Beth pushing Brie into the house on a wheelchair. _Hell…maybe that's it._

"How did you…"

And even in the darkness of the early, _early_ morning, I witness the fiery glare in my husband's eye. It stops me cold in my tracks. I stand there, again – stunned silent. There's no way in hell that I'm going to be able to get out of this one unscathed. After what seemed to be a lifetime of eerie silence and tension – _enough tension to cut through it with a butcher's cleaver_ – I decide to defend myself.

"Christian…I had everything all under control," I whisper. He scowls at me.

"We will discuss this later. I don't want to wake up the girls," he murmurs, enunciating each syllable so crisply that even one who's hearing impaired could not misinterpret him.

Screw this – I'm not going back to sleep. He's just going to sit there and watch the girls and me sleep, all while he concocts one hundred and one ways to make my life a living hell. He can't ever _just let things go_ , especially when he's _this_ upset with me.

Why didn't he just call before taking off to return home? Why did he feel the need to leave Portland so suddenly while negotiations were at such a volatile state? I need to know what caused him to possibly sacrifice the biggest deal out of the three that we were hoping to close this week.

"What happened with the deal?" I quietly ask.

"Fuck the deal, Ana. That's _not_ important right now," he hisses.  
 _Geez._

"What do you mean ' _fuck the deal_ '?" I say in shock.  
Just then, I hear our daughters stir in our bed.

 _Shit._

I quickly turn to my right and see only one of them shifting until she finally settles back down into a deep sleep.

" _Shhh_ ," Christian angrily vocalizes at me.

To hell with this. We need to talk outside of this bedroom. I need to explain to him why I didn't tell him about Brie, and he needs to explain to me why he potentially left his executive team high and dry in Portland.

"Christian…let's go. We need to talk."

"Go back to sleep. I don't want to talk right now."

"Why not?"

"Because. I'm mad at you."

I mean, obviously.  
"Why are you mad at me?"

" _You know_ why."

This is going nowhere. I'm scared, frustrated, tired… _and I gotta go pee_.

"Christian…I don't want you to be mad at me. I believe that I was doing the right thing. Everything is fine now. Brie had such a wonderful time tonight with her sisters and me. We had a blast. There was no cause for you…"

I trail off because he turns his head away from me.  
He's having _none of it_.  
My heart sinks.

Why is he so stubborn? Why won't he let me explain? It's like I'm talking to one of the children right now. _Hell, maybe I should treat him like one of the children._

Without warning, I carefully sit on his lap and twist my body to face him. He stretches down to place his practically empty tumbler carefully onto the floor. When he rises back again, he still doesn't look at me. I reach for his face to turn it, but he grabs my hands before I can.

 _Oh no._ It's like a slap to the face.

"Christian…we need to talk. _Please_ ," I plead softly. His head slowly moves around, then down until our eyes finally meet. He looks angry and torn…all at once.

"I am _very_ upset, Ana."

"I know. That's why we need to talk. We _communicate_. That's what we do," I murmur. At my words, his gaze hardens and his nostrils begin to flare.

 _Holy shit._

"Yeah Ana… _that's what we do_. But _you_ didn't do that," he snarls.

Jesus… _I_ …I don't know what else to say to him. It's going to be a continuous tongue-lashing from here on out until he feels that I have finally learned my lesson.

 _Saddle up, Ana.  
You're in for a long, bumpy ride. _

I take in a deep breath, contemplating my next statement.  
 _Choose your words very carefully, Ana Grey. They may come back to bite you._

"You're right – I didn't. But it was for a reason and I would like to communicate that reason to you right now. _Please_." My sincere blue eyes lock into his pissed-off grays. In spite of this, my plea appears to have absolutely no effect on him whatsoever. It's discouraging.

"Please – let's talk outside," I murmur once more. After a few moments of his harsh glare, he soon breaks.

 _We're finally getting somewhere._

Thirty seconds later, I can feel the palms of his hands lifting me off of his lap. It takes me by surprise, so I reflexively stand to my feet. He soon joins me before subtly motioning his head over towards the door.

After quietly closing the bedroom door behind us, he leads the way to the main room of the house, which is illuminated by the flickering embers of the fireplace. I idly wonder why the fireplace is on at this hour. It was off when I hung up from my call with Christian hours ago. Just when I think he's going to lead us over to the sofa so that we can talk there, he stops abruptly and then turns to face me.

We now stand toe to toe.

 _Let's get ready to rumble..._

" _Talk_ ," and his command comes across as very bitter. It chills me.

"Look, I was going to tell you about Brie when you called, but then you started talking about how frustrating negotiations were with the Japanese. I didn't want to add on to that since Brie was doing fine at the time."

His face gets darker. He's now seething.  
 _Holy fuck._

"No – you should have called me the _second_ you hung up from the school yesterday afternoon!" His soft, careful tone of voice has officially left. We are beyond the walls of the master bedroom, so it's now open season on me. I instantly kick into survival mode.

"Christian – I was freaking out! I've _never_ gotten a call like that before from the school…for _any_ of our children!"

"Your first call should've been to me! I would've made sure that Luke picked you up and I would've turned Charlie Tango back around and come home!"

"I _wasn't_ thinking in that moment! I heard Brie crying in the background, and all I could think about was that _I needed to get to her immediately_!" I cry out, with tears now streaming down my face at the dreadful memory.

"Fuck!" Christian turns forcefully on his heel, spinning away from me and frantically runs both of his hands through his unruly copper and gray hair. I instantly feel his pain and helplessness, and it burns me to the core.

And I want to rub his back, but I keep my distance knowing that it will only upset him more. Helplessness isn't an emotion that my husband will ever get acclimated to. It's his Achilles heel.

"You can't imagine what was going through my head the moment I found out that our daughter was in the hospital and you didn't tell me! I fucking talked to you last night and you didn't say a word about it!" he shouts at me, now facing me once more. His beautiful face is now red with rage.

 _Christ._

I stare back at him with wide-open eyes.

" _I_ …I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be… _deceitful_. I thought I was doing the right thing by handling it and not involving you until you got home. I didn't think things here were serious enough for you…"

"Our daughter's in a fucking cast, Ana! What constitutes ' _serious enough'_ for you?!"

"They x-rayed her ankle right in front of me and told me that it was a quick healing, clean fracture! They put her in a cast and sent her home! She didn't stay overnight! It _wasn't_ serious!" When the words exit my mouth, I know right away that they will fuel his fire.

"You should have fucking called me!" he growls.

Just as I called it. He didn't digest not one goddamn word that I said.  
I decide _not_ to fight fire with fire and calmly explain myself once more.

"Christian, I'm sorry. I just thought that you were up in the air at the time – flying to Portland. If things were worse, I would've called you immediately. But once I got to the hospital and saw that it was a clean fracture, I assumed that everything was all under control. I simply took the twins home, and that was that."

"And instead of calling me once you got home, you proceeded to take work calls and finalize the German deal," he snaps.

Wow. That's a real shitty way of putting things, Grey.

"It wasn't like that!" I say, now elevating my voice once more.

"Well, how was it then?"

I am truly at a loss with this man. There's nothing I can say in the moment that will change how upset he feels towards me. It's like every defense that I throw at him, he turns it into a weapon against me. It's been a very long time since I've seen this side of Christian. I couldn't deal with it then, and I most certainly can't deal with it now… _especially on a full bladder_.

"I didn't want to leave the team in the lurch. So I took calls all while I was with the twins between the hospital and home. After Brie was settled in bed with her sister, I took only an hour in my study before rejoining the girls."

"And yet, you didn't call…or text me," he says in an accusatory tone.

I have nothing else to say. It will always come back to how much I suck for not calling him. It's a losing battle.

He looks at me, anticipating a response, but I say nothing. We stand in virtual silence for a few beats, with only the crackling sounds of the fireplace.

"Grace called me an hour after I spoke to you," he starts.

And right away, my brain parses through the scenario of how Christian potentially finds out about Brie before he can even tell the story.

 _Christian's mother is a retired doctor, but still quite active in the medical community. Someone she knows must've saw us._

"She wanted to know if everything was okay. I was confused. Then she mentioned that a former colleague of hers who currently works at Children's contacted her. That colleague recognized you and the twins and noticed the cast on Brianna's foot."

Yep, that's how it happened. So it _wasn't_ Sawyer or Mrs. Taylor. It was the _Seattle medical community_. Geez – what ever happened to the _Hippocratic Oath_ and confidentiality?

"I thought that she was absolutely mistaken. I knew that _my wife_ wouldn't _dare_ leave me in the fucking dark concerning any of our children! _No way_!"

Now he's worked up all over again. Lovely.

"I called you back and you didn't answer. I feared the worse. So I had Taylor pull up the surveillance footage from earlier that day and saw Bethany _wheeling_ her sister into the house," he hisses.

Bingo. Surveillance footage. It's _Classic Grey_.  
But if I _really_ knew my husband, why couldn't I avoid this entire mess?

"Imagine how I felt seeing Brianna in a cast… _helpless_ – and I'm hours away! This could've been avoided, Ana!"

I gape at him. Is he for real? I mean seriously. It was an accident during volleyball practice.

"How?" Yeah Grey, how could I have avoided all of this? How could I have avoided you still flipping out, even if you would've known the second that I found out?

"I would've been home sooner had you called!"

I sigh and shake my head not knowing how else to deal with this man standing before me.

"She's in a cast and will be for at least four weeks. I had everything under control. We were all taking very excellent care of Brie. There's nothing else you could've done here, Christian. Your team needed you more in Portland at the time."

And something happens. I can see a glimmer of pain peering through the anger. It stuns me.

"So my family doesn't need me anymore?"

I gape at him. "That's _not_ what I said!"

"That's clearly what you just said, Ana."

"That's not what I meant! Hell…you were going on and on about how _historical_ these deals were…just yesterday! You were planning on missing Brie's volleyball match because of it!"

Christian immediately gets defensive. "And there you go…throwing shit in my face when _you_ are the one in the wrong here!"

Frustrated, I swing my hand to my hip. " _Wha_ – are you serious?!"

"I called Brianna last night to apologize, yet you persisted to lie to me by omission!"

Hi, _Brick Wall_. Maybe you'll listen to me instead.

" _Oh my God_! Christian…I've already apologized and explained myself over and over again…"

"That was your opportunity to finally tell me what happened to Brianna, and you blew it," he growls.

"Look, I handled things here so you could go on and close the deals! We're a team! That's what we do!"

"And if we were _really_ a team, you would've told me first about Brianna's injury – and you didn't," he quietly scolds.

I have that feeling in my gut…the one you get when you try over and over again to climb up the wall, but you keep sliding down. I'm getting nowhere. Instinctively, I turn away and start to walk.

"Where are you going!" he snaps at me. I still and turn back to glare at him.

"Can I pee?!"

He glares back at me, and I know that he wants to continue his tongue lashing since he's on a roll.

"I'll be back," I say, irritated.

As I sit on the toilet in the bathroom nearest the great room, I place my elbows on my thighs and rest my face in my palms. The events of the past twenty-four hours run rampantly through my head in no particular order. And as I parse every scenario, I can honestly say that I totally regret not calling my husband on my way to the hospital. It's obvious that every scenario would have led to Christian coming home early.

So now, not only have we potentially lost the deal with Tokyo, but I have lost peace with my husband. He is going to lord this incident over me for _many_ , many days. I just don't see it going down any other way.

Do I have the energy right now to deal with my husband and his many moods?

Or maybe I'm simply blowing this way out of proportion. It's early in the morning. We're both tired. Once Christian spends some quality time with Brie and sees that she's doing fine, perhaps he will cool down.

 _Yeah – he just needs time to settle down._

Once I exit the bathroom, I realize that Christian is no longer present in the great room. I stand there perplexed.

 _Where did he go? Is he back in our bedroom?_

On a hunch, I stop by his study and see that the door is closed. However, a glimmer of light shines through the tight cracks, so I know for a fact that he's in there. I turn the knob, but the door is locked.

 _Seriously?!_

I can't believe that he's locked himself in his office like a petulant adolescent.  
I'm too annoyed to knock.

"Christian?"

"What."

"I thought we were going to finish talking."

"I don't want to talk to you right now."

 _Are you fucking kidding me right now?_

"Because I left to pee?"

"No – I'm mad. Go back to bed."

I lean forward and my forehead lands against the door. An involuntary laugh quietly escapes me. I feel like I am going insane.

 _If he doesn't talk to me, then maybe I'll just talk to this door instead._

I stand up straight and face the door.

"Honestly, I thought I was doing the right thing. Brie's ankle injury wasn't as bad as they thought. So _I_ thought – _hey, I'll nurse her, get Beth and Phoebe involved. We'll have a girls' night right after I got things squared off with Marco. Things are going smoothly, so no need to get Christian involved. He's already up to his neck with the Japanese. He's very anxious to close this deal and get home._

"I wasn't being malicious. I was only protecting you from the unnecessary stress. You already had a lot on your plate. Once I saw that Brie was going to be okay, I was able to carry the load. I thought that I was being a _good wife_."

I lean against the door and still. Thirty seconds go by, and Christian doesn't say a word.

A minute.  
Two minutes.  
Nothing.

"I thought I was doing the right thing," I say, breaking the silence. But the silence soon returns. Christian remains quiet on the other side of the door.

It's then when I realize that he is _not_ going to let this go. With that realization, I quietly turn away and return to bed with the girls.

….

 _Ted_

I'm sitting impatiently in my dorm room when my burner cell rings right at noon. I pick up after the first ring.

"Hello."

"Teddy?" Her reluctant voice calls out through the phone, and I immediately know that whatever she has to say won't fix this never-ending ache in my belly.

Whatever happens after this call, I still have class at 1:30 today. Will I have the mind to attend, or will I be too obliterated to even function?

I decide to rip off the fucking Band-Aid at warp speed.

"So last time we talked, you were mentioning the fact that you've kindly moved on from me – while failing to mention that fact _to me_. You then proceeded to get engaged to some guy that you just started dating _six weeks_ ago…"

"Wait a minute – I never said that. I never said that we just started dating six weeks ago," she said, sounding appalled by my summary.

I frown harshly after her words. "You said you weren't with him when we were last together six weeks ago. That's what _you_ said."

"And that is true. I wasn't sleeping with him at the time, but we were still spending time together here on campus."

Now I'm _really_ confused. Were they in the same circles or the same clubs? He's a senior art major and she's a senior hospitality major. Certainly at this point, they aren't taking any of the same courses together.

"So what am I _not_ getting? You said that you've already met his parents and they supposedly like you more than my parents ever did. Isn't that what you said in so many words?" I ask in a confrontational tone.

"Well… _yes_."

She sits there – quiet, not adding anything more to her statement.

I need answers, Sophie. Shooting down what I say _or_ just sitting there in silence after one-word responses isn't clearing up shit for me.

Riddle me this:  
Why in the fuck are you with this guy?  
Why aren't you still with me?

You said you _loved me_. Was it all a lie?

"I'm not understanding what's going on here, Sophie. I asked you six weeks ago after we made love to wait for me – and you said you would. _You_ said." I make it a point to utter the last two words slowly. She sighs, exasperated.

"Teddy, you're not being realistic here. It never would've worked out...you know it wouldn't have."

Suddenly, I see red and my blood begins to boil.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?!"

" _Teddy_ …"

"I had a plan! I _told_ you! You were good with the plan – _so you said_!"

" _Teddy_ …"

"I was doing this accelerated program _for you_! For _us_! As soon as I graduated, we were going to take off to Chicago together! You said that you wanted to work at the Hyatt Hotels Corporation…and I was going to shoot for Boeing! We would start out renting a room Downtown before we found our dream condo in Lincoln Park once our jobs got rolling! That was the plan!"

" _Teddy_ – that's unrealistic!"

 _Is this a fucking joke?!  
What in the hell happened to her?! _

I don't know this girl anymore.

This is not the same girl who encouraged me to stay the course. This is not the same girl who was just as desperate as I was for us to _finally_ be together.

"What are you talking about?! That's not what you…"

"I know what I said, Teddy," she starts in a calm voice. "But I had to let reality finally set in. Things were never going to work out between us. Do you wanna know what would've happen the moment you pulled the bait-and-switch on your dad and moved with me to Chicago after graduation? Hell…your dad only agreed to your _accelerated graduation plan_ after you promised him that you'd return to Seattle and help him and your mom run the business!"

"I said exactly what I needed to say to him in order to set our plan in motion! Once I graduate from college, I no longer have to deal with him! You _knew_ that!"

I am now hyperventilating as I tightly clench my bed quilt with my free hand. I am trying not to rise up and take out my frustration on the wall or some other object, alarming the other residents. I am _so angry_ right now.

 _Why is she doing this to me?!  
I love her!_

"I know I told you that I would wait, but I couldn't _wait_ anymore. _I_ …I'm so sorry. I just didn't know how to finally break away from you. _This_ …this isn't good for me. This isn't healthy for me…nor is it for you. I'm approaching 23-years-old now, Ted. I can't keep playing this _star-crossed_ , _teenage-love_ game. It's time for me to finally grow up." Her voice trembles during her entire spiel.

 _And there it is._

The sound of her voice lets me know that whatever feelings she might've had for me, they were simply immature. She has finally outgrown me. My heart has officially dislodged from my stomach and has fallen to the floor.

But in spite of all that she has said, I still l can't wrap around my head the fact that after what we've shared over these past two years – _hell, over the past nineteen years_ – what's happening right now is not exactly registering with me. She has to be a heartless bitch in order to drop everything that we had and take on something so new…something so _uncertain_ with a guy that has a fucking blemish on his record. I don't believe for one second that the _Sophie Taylor_ I know could ever be this heartless.

Something is _not_ right.

"Sophie, what is really going on here? _What_ …did your dad tell you to do this? Was it _my_ dad? Look, you can tell me. I won't be upset."

"Ted, stop it. Nobody told me to do anything. I finally saw that we weren't going anywhere living like this, so I allowed myself to move on with Aiden. I'm finally happy now. Isn't that what you've always wanted for me?"

What in the actual fuck?

"Are you kidding right now?!" I seethe.

"And I want you to be happy _too_! Teddy…look – you're drop-dead gorgeous. You're a _Grey_ for fuck's sake! You're brilliant…probably in the top of your class at Stanford. You have so much going for you. One day, you're going to be running the top privately owned firm on the planet! What do you want with your family's longtime lead security personnel's daughter?! You have your pick of the entire universe! You can have any girl that you want!"

"But I _want_ you!" I snap. "Sophie…why are you doing this?!" My voice is starting to crack, and I suddenly feel my entire body following suit. I just want the floor to swallow me up whole. This is the worse feeling that I have ever felt in my entire life. She is literally killing me softly right now.

"Teddy, stop it – _please_. I'm just being honest with you right now. I'm so sorry that it has taken me this long to explain everything to you. Look, I thought I had feelings for you. But now I understand that my feelings were all wrong. I used to babysit you when you were _nine_. When you got older, I just took care of your sisters. It was then that I let things get too far between you and I. Now, I'm with someone my own age."

I can't listen to this crap anymore.

"We're only four years apart, Sophie!"

"Four years is a long time when you're our age. You're not even nineteen yet, Teddy. You have so much more in life to learn and experience."

She's talking to me like she's my mother now, and it's irritating. She said nothing of the sort six weeks ago when I was making her come multiple times in that hotel room.

"So are you saying that I'm not _man enough_ for you?" I scoff. She sighs.

"Look…I get it. I was your first love. But trust me – you'll grow past this. You'll forget all about me and move on. I care so much for you, Teddy…but as a friend. The fact remains that I'm engaged now. I'm truly in love with Aiden."

 _Fucking Aiden._  
I boil over.

"Well – I'm not sure how you expect me to respond to that, Sophie. I did call you yesterday to tell you about my little research on your _supposed_ fiancé. He apparently has a history dodging an illegal drug possession charge. Is that what you want to associate yourself with?"

Silence suddenly spreads between us, thick and heavy.  
 _Did she already know about this, or is this news to her?_

"Sophie?" I say, checking to see if she's still with me.

" _I_ …" she eventually starts, then stops herself before restarting again.

"I absolutely _cannot_ believe you, Ted. You are becoming the person that you _swore_ you wouldn't become. You are judgmental and intrusive. You are turning into your father. Goodbye, Ted." After she says the words, she hangs up on me.

My world ceases to move.

...

 _Monday, September 22, 2031_

 _Ana_

I'm glad that it's Monday.

This is the part where someone would whisper: _Said no one ever_. However, I truly mean it. Hurray for Monday. I need to be in my own space and back in the zone of business.

Granted on the other side of the closest door to my desk lies the crux of all of my problems. My moody husband who has barely spoken more than two words to me since our argument last Wednesday. I had a good time with family and friends over the weekend, but my husband behaving like such a total dick towards me sort of overshadowed it.

During the past few days when we sat together at the dinner table as a family, Christian would never speak directly to me. He'll say things like: _Bethany, your mother might want to proofread your essay once you're finished_ –or– _Phoebe, you should ask your mother if it's okay for you to take off with Hanson after your sisters' birthday party on Saturday_.

 _Grey, I'm right fucking here – so why are you ignoring me?!_

Tomorrow night will mark a week since Christian and I have slept in the same bed together. Even with business travel on the table, we have not gone more than three nights without sleeping in the same bed.

I suspect that he has been dozing off in his study. He hasn't been changing into his PJs and he only comes into the master bedroom to shower and change into another suit.

Hell, I've said my piece. I have nothing else to say to this man. And anyhow, if I did have something to say, it'll just fuel the flames. Therefore, I decided to keep my distance and let him cool off. However, it's been five days and it seems like the storm isn't even close to letting up. _I don't think this man even so much as looked at me since Wednesday._ The very thought causes my stomach to churn.

Christian and I have always been a passionate couple. One would never know that we've been together and strong for twenty years. We've always behaved as if we just fell in love yesterday. We're inseparable in every way. Even at work, we still found it quite difficult to keep our hands off of each other. But now…

I'm starting to feel sicker and sicker to my stomach.  
I never wanted us to end up as _that couple_.

The couple that despises each other –  
The couple that can't stand being in the other's presence for longer than a minute –  
The couple that just survives – barely hanging on a thread –  
The couple that's practically roommates and no longer lovers and best friends.

The couple that eventually grows into _that_ _old couple_ – hoping that the other one croaks soon so that they can finally move on with their life.

Jesus – I can't even fathom it.  
It's _Christian_ and _Ana_ for heaven's sake!  
We're **not** _that couple_!  
We could never be _that couple_!

I am getting quite tired. I'm both stressed out _and_ tired. On top of the birthday party for the twins on Saturday at the house – featuring lakeside fireworks, a cookout and the whole shebang, I've been going through some… _changes_.

One minute, I'm burning up – sweating. The next minute, I'm freezing cold. Then I'm sad, practically crying myself to sleep. The next minute, I feel like breaking down Christian's locked study door with an ax

Since Wednesday, Christian has been attached to Brie at the hip. He stayed at home with her until Thursday while I went to work and tried to clean up the mess that he left behind concerning the Tokyo deal. Luckily, the negotiations moved back to Seattle. The Japanese stayed an additional week, and we were able to finally make some headway. Christian did manage to call in to two of our meetings while he was at home taking care of Brie.

Ros even gushed over how wonderful it was that Christian and I were doing what some may deem a _role swap_. In the past, it would've been the mom at home nursing the sick kid while dad goes away to work. But Christian wasn't going to let Brie out of his sight.

He didn't even want Brie to return to school _at all_ last week. Even though Brie appreciated the quality time she spent with her father, she was quite bored, so she returned to school on Friday – crutches and all. Brie decided that there was such a thing as _too much_ ice cream and _too many_ kung fu movie marathons.

 _"Dad, I'm okay – really. Go!"_

I would hear Brie say this constantly…at least three times a day since she's been in a cast. But in spite of her pleas to him that she's _more than okay_ , Christian is still mad at me. Nothing has changed since he and I had it out in early in the morning in the main room.

Over the past five days, my emotions have shifted from scared, to sad…to downright angry. It's obvious that no matter how much we try to hide it, the girls see plain as day that the tension is evident between their father and me.

 _"Why is Dad acting so weird around you?"_

I could tell that the girls were thinking it, but it finally took Beth to speak up on it. I did nothing but simply brush it off.

 _"Its just Daddy being Daddy. Lots of stuff going on at work, and he's worried about your sister."_

 _"But Brie's fine. She's loving her cast and all of the attention that she's getting here and at school."_

Perhaps I should break a bone so that my husband would finally talk to me.  
But right now, the only bone I want to break is _his_.

My desk phone rings. It's one of my execs at our New York offices. I quickly answer the phone and he proceeds to fill me in on a project that I've been waiting weeks to hear feedback on.

"That's great, Pete! Now _that's_ what I like to hear," I rave. He goes on and talks about the strategy that's getting into gear and the two of us go back and forth for quite some time. While he's talking, I suddenly feel hot.

 _Oh no – not this shit again._

I pick up a stack of papers that are stapled together, not even bothering to look and see what they are before frantically fanning myself with them.

"Yeah Pete, sure. I see what you mean…" I reply, breathy.

 _Damn, this sucks._

Moments later, I hear a ping from my computer. While laughing at something that Pete just said, I launch the brand new email.

* * *

From: Christian Grey  
Subject: RE: Tokyo Partnership  
Date: September 22, 2031 10:13  
To: Anastasia R. Grey

I just read your glowing feedback on finance's forecast for the Tokyo development. You need to go back and look at it again. I am not signing off on this as it stands.

Best regards,

Christian Grey  
Co-CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

* * *

I gape at the screen.

First of all, Christian usually addresses me in emails as _Mrs. Grey_ , _Ana_ , _Anastasia_ , _Bunny_ , _Baby_ , _Sweetheart_ … None of those nouns were used. Instead, he just gets right to the point, _and_ he's a royal prick about it to boot.

 _I don't effing believe this man._

"Ana?"

I'm startled by the sound of Pete's voice.

"Pete, I'm _so_ sorry. I'm currently distracted at the moment."

"I know you're very busy. I just wanted to give you a quick update. We'll do lunch the next time I'm there at corporate."

"Sure thing, Pete."

Pete's very wise and can always tell when it's time to end the call – so he does.

I glare angrily at my monitor, trying to come up with a response to Christian's curt email. I could strangle him with my bare hands right now. But after parsing through a barrage of insults about my husband in my mind, in spite of my hot flashes – a cooler head soon prevails. I could easily fight fire with fire, but that has never worked with Grey. It only gets him riled up even more.

 _Ignoring him works best._

But my resolve doesn't dull the fact that I feel rejected. Suddenly, I feel a pang in my belly and the dam breaks. I start to cry.

 _Why in the hell am I crying?!_ I've apologized, yet my husband is still being a dick to me. I'm usually fairly strong every time _Fifty the Tiger_ decides to change his many stripes. But somehow, I'm unable to handle it this time around. In spite of my haywire emotions, I stay the course and ignore his email.

I take Grey's snarky advice and revisit the forecast for Tokyo.

….

 _Wednesday, September 24, 2031_

After yet another shitty morning, I return to my office from lunch. I feel much more relaxed now.

No, Christian didn't knock on my door and ask me what I was doing for lunch today. In fact, he hasn't done that since before he got mad at me over a week ago. Instead, I have a nice relaxing lunch with Lola, my personal assistant.

Lola and I catch up on each other's children and laugh heartedly over the joys of running our individual households when we're not at GEH taking over the world. It's refreshing talking to another mother. My children are much older than hers, so I often give her feedback on what to expect with teenagers. Needless to say, Lola's not looking forward to her turn.

Just as I'm settling, behind my desk, I get two separate fires from two executives that I need to put out. It's funny that over the years, certain issues come straight to me because people know that I can calmly resolve things without resulting to riling out a series of _'fucks'_ like my co-CEO normally does in a crisis. Whenever I hear bad news, I sit back, swallow, calmly reflect, and then devise a logical solution.

After I hang up the phone from resolving the second problem of the afternoon, my hot flashes return with a vengeance. I begin to frantically fan myself down. Suddenly, I hear my phone buzz and instantly wonder if it's Christian. _But he's right next door, so why would he call my cell? And besides, he's still not speaking to me._ I check the screen.

 _It's not him.  
_ It's Carla.

Do I even have the energy to talk to my mother right now? Hell, I just saw her over the weekend at the twins' birthday party. She's now back home in Georgia, but she still can't keep away from staying on top of what's going on with the kids and with me. She's constantly posting on all of our social media walls for no apparent reason – _and_ she puts up the most random shit. Like goofy memes of cats captioned with a shit load of smiling emojis with heart-eyes along with strings of ' _Grandmommy loovveeeessss youuuuuu soooooo muuuccchhhh!_ ' Then there's the nasty habit of her _liking_ her own posts. It's rather disturbing.

 _Shoot me if I ever start doing that to my children._

"Hi Mom."

"Ana dear! How are you?"

"I'm fine. Did Bob survive the three days without you last week?"

"Just barely. You know how he gets whenever I leave town to see you and the grands. That party for the twins was absolutely wonderful!"

"I know. They loved it. So glad that everything turned out great."

"You and Grace always throw the loveliest parties. I had a fantastic time. It almost seemed like it was _my_ birthday," she chuckles.

"I could tell that you were having a ball," I smile.

"So I guess that's it for at least two years, huh? The next big milestone birthday isn't until Phoebe's 18th. Then Teddy turns 21 the year after that."

"Mom, please don't remind me. Let me enjoy the kids while they're still young," I grumble.

 _God, I'm getting old.  
_ I slowly sink into my chair at the depressing thought.

"I meant to call you the second I got back, but I got sidetracked cleaning up after Bob. I'm getting sick of him being retired. He needs to find a part time job or take on a new hobby when he's not golfing," she laments.

Before I can respond, she continues.

"But enough about me. _Oh_ …I just saw photos from the party on Phoebe's and the twins' pages. I went ahead and tagged myself in every one so that all of my friends can see them on _my_ page."

Oh, joy. I'm sure the girls will _love_ that. And no doubt she ' _liked_ ' and commented on each and every one of their images while in the process of tagging herself.

"The only reason I even have a clue as to what's going on with my granddaughters is because of social media. And that Hanson fella…he's such a sweet young man! I _love_ all of the pictures of him and Phoebe together posted on his page!"

 _Yes Carla, I know._ The second my mother met Hanson in the flesh on Saturday, she _friended_ him on social media.

"I don't understand why Teddy simply refuses to be online. He hardly ever calls me anymore. I have no clue what he's been up to lately. I miss my oldest grandchild…my only grandson."

Teddy unfortunately had to miss his sisters' party due to a big exam in one of his classes, so my mother was unable to see him. He did do a hologram call along with his sisters once they woke up the morning of their birthday, which they were all pretty stoked about. Teddy also managed to mail the twins a present ahead of time, which I kept hidden until the party.

As far as social media goes, Teddy claims that he doesn't care for it. However, I have a feeling that it has more to do with his father's penchant for snooping around than it does for Teddy's lack of desire to have an account. The very thought makes my stomach twist. I wish they could work out this unspoken thing. _Hell – Christian and I are barely even speaking now._ I roll my eyes at the thought.

"Teddy's been extremely busy with his accelerated program. You know he's coming back for the spring semester to work his internship at Amazon. Why don't you come up for a month while he's home?"

Hey, my mom might be a little crazy, but I love it whenever she's in town. She brightens up the entire house. And perhaps Bob can learn between now and then how to function without my mother doing every little thing for him. It'll do him some good.

My mother is quiet, seemingly considering the possibility.

"I think that's a good idea. I'll think about it some more. You know, I'm quite bored. And to be honest, I'm getting really sick of Bob since he no longer has to go to work and is home all of the time when he's not golfing," she hisses. I laugh.

"Yeah, it'll do you some good to spend a month with all of your grandkids. You barely get to see them," I spark.

" _I know_ , I know. I would really love that. I'm so proud of _all_ of my grandchildren," she says, oozing with joy.

"I know, Mom. I'm proud of the kids too," I murmur.

"So, what's going on with you? I feel that every time we talk, it's always about the children. How's my Ana doing?"

My heart immediately drops into my gut. In spite of this, I clear my throat and try to maintain face.

"It's going okay. Business is great."

My mother remains silent for a beat, which gradually begins to disarm me since she is usually _always_ talking.

"Ana?"

"What?"

"What's wrong? I sensed that something strange was going on with you and Christian. Spill it."

 _Shit._

I take in a deep breath, not knowing what to say in that moment.

"Go ahead…spill to Momma."

 _Fuck._

I finally muster up the strength to start my reveal.

"So, you know about Brie's broken ankle."

"She happily hobbled around in her cast all weekend."

"Your son-in-law isn't speaking to me. He's apparently upset because while he was away in Portland on an _extremely important_ business deal last week, I failed to tell him about Brie's volleyball injury."

"Oh boy."

 _Oh boy?_  
Is that all she has to say?

"Yeah…so anyway, he's barely talking to me now – even though I've apologize _profusely_ and explained to him that I had everything all under control at home. When he finds out about Brie, he leaves the team in Portland and comes home right in the middle of the night – jeopardizing the entire deal. So now, I've gotta clean up the mess at work too. _It's just_ …"

I suddenly run out of steam and take in two deep, calming breaths. Still, I'm feeling anything _but_ calm. I continue.

"And now, my hormones are all out of whack. I'm moody one minute, and I'm burning up, sweating in the next. Then I start crying for no reason at all…"

"Ana, _sweetie_..." Carla interrupts me – and I'm not sure if I'm going to like what she has to say to me next. My mother has never been one to tell me what to do with my life. As a free spirit herself, she has always encouraged me to trust and follow my own heart.

I'm hoping as she has gotten older that she doesn't cease giving a fuck and finally decides to tell me what to do with my life. If she ever gets to that point, I just hope that I'm not as moody as I am right now. I'm pretty certain that if anything comes out of that mouth of hers that rubs me the wrong way, I am going to say something that will probably have her in tears by the end of this call.

Afterwards, I'll just end up hanging up on her and feeling like such a miserable bitch only moments later. Then after that, I'll have to call her back to apologize and maybe plan a weekend trip down to Georgia with the girls in order to make it all up to her. Seriously, I just don't have the time to go out of my way and do any of that stuff.

So Carla – for the love of all that's holy… _please_ don't tell me what to do in my marriage unless I ask for it.

"I was in my early forties – just like you when I became premenopausal."

 _What?_

That wasn't what I was expecting to hear.

"Everything you're describing is exactly what I went through. Sounds like you have of touch of what I had. You may want to visit your OB/GYN."

I sit and think about the past few weeks.  
 _Whoa – maybe that's why my emotions are all over the place._

"Mom, you never told me about that."

"Yeah sweetie, I know. You and Christian just had baby Teddy at the time, and I was thrilled. I was able to ignore the onset of my symptoms and just live in the moment. But when I got back home with Bob and just couldn't take it anymore, I finally caved and visited my doctor. That's when I found out what was going on with me. And believe it or not, my mother went through the very same thing in her early forties."

 _Wow, I could be menopausal. That means…_

I brush away the thought.

 _Ana, settle down. You have a great life, even though your husband is being a jackass right now. You have four beautiful children. You have done everything you have set out to do. Regret nothing._

"I'll set an appointment with my doctor. I'm so glad I brought that up to you," I chuckle.

"Yes honey…that's why you need to speak to your mother from time to time. I've walked your path. Granted, I didn't have more than one child…along with a multi-billion dollar global business to maintain, but I still like to think that I know a few things," she says in a sweet voice.

I laugh. "Mom, you absolutely know more than I do. Never underestimate yourself. I love you and miss you. Please…see if you can come down for a month after New Year."

"I will, my love. And make sure you call me as soon as you hear back from your doctor."

"Will do. I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Sweetheart."

….

 _Thursday, September 25, 2031_

By late Thursday afternoon, I've finally had it with this week. I was at my breaking point. Then _this_ came along…

* * *

From: Christian Grey  
Subject: RE: Tokyo Partnership  
Date: September 25, 2031 15:13  
To: Anastasia R. Grey

Mrs. Grey,

For some reason, you're not getting it through your brain that finance's numbers are not checking out. You've claimed to re-read the report several times, and yet you continue to stand by it.

Can you actually sign off on this with a clear conscience, or are you simply minimizing the major errors in this report and deliberately refusing to alert me on them, which you've very recently had a tendency to do even with matters outside of work?

Best regards,

Christian Grey  
Co-CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

* * *

From: Anastasia R. Grey  
Subject: RE: Tokyo Partnership  
Date: September 25, 2031 15:15  
To: Christian Grey

Asshole.

Many thanks,

Anastasia R. Grey  
Co-CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

* * *

After I hit _send_ , I fly out of my seat like a bat out of hell and angry stomp in my beige strapped high heals towards the door that separates my office from Christian's. I swing the door open without knocking and storm right in.

Christian's eyes quickly meet mine from behind his desk. In the seats opposite his desk sit Barney and Joe – our tech masters. The two gentlemen see the sheer rage in my face and they fearfully stand quickly to their feet before rushing out of the room without saying a single word.

I then march up to Christian's desk and place my palms flat on it before leaning across it to glare directly into his narrowed gray eyes.

"What in the fuck is your problem, Grey?! I told you – the numbers completely check out! I've reviewed them myself _several times_! Then I reviewed it right along with our _best_ financial analysts! What in the world are you seeing that we aren't?! Why don't you stop being such a prick and tell me what I'm _supposedly_ not seeing?!" I scream at him – practically from the top of my lungs.

Christian springs to his feet and he also places his palms on his desk, leaning in closer to me.

"You lied, Ana. You told me that everything was fine when I called you from Portland last week."

He can't be serious. Still…he refuses to let what happened last week go. I can't deal with this nonsense. Not right now.

"We're _not_ discussing the children here!" I bark at him.  
He's now as inflamed as I am.

"This is not just about the children, Ana! We're supposed to be team! You knew better than to keep secrets from me!"

"Well holy shit, Christian! I apologized to you _over_ and _over_ again! I thought I was doing exactly what I needed to do at the time for us – _the team_! What else do you want from me?!"

I lift my hands from his desk and swing around, pacing to a different side of his office before I turn on my heel to confront him again. However, he heads me off at the pass.

"You're not understanding the seriousness of the matter, Ana! What you did was careless and selfish!"

" _Selfish_?!" I am beside myself.

Everything I do is for him and our kids! I knew he was going to blow Brie's injury up to be something _life threatening_ , which it wasn't! Instead, he still treats it as such, annoying everyone in our home in the process. Hell, he barely lets Beth take the stairs anymore!

"You lied to me by omission, Ana! That's fucking major!"

I've literally had it at this point.  
 _No more._

"Fuck – I said I was sorry! Look…do you want to spank me?! Will that stop you from torturing me?!"

Instantly, I regret my words. _  
Oh boy, why did I even say that?_

Suddenly, the storm cloud shifts. His face eases up as if something finally clicks for him for the first time in _many_ days. He slowly prowls towards me.

"You know what? _Yes_ …I think I do."

 _What?  
_ I gasp.

So _that's_ it, huh?  
That's all it takes?

As a child, I never received corporal punishment. Instead, I would get grounded during the rare occasion when I may have misbehaved. I would often hear from the other kids growing up who have received both forms of punishment that they would rather take the spanking than to be grounded for days at a time.

 _"At least with a spanking, you'd get your punishment over with."_

I realized that for the past week, my husband has sort of _grounded_ me. _Do we finally have the chance to put this entire nonsense behind us by me simply taking a spanking?_

Seeing the triumphant expression trying to loom on my husband's face causes me to drop my guard. The second Christian realizes this, he turns on his heel to lock the main doors to his office.

 _Holy shit – he's really going to spank me here…in his office._

On his way back to me, he deftly undoes his tie and unfastens the top two buttons of his shirt. Without protest, he then grabs me by my upper arms, spins me around, and throws my torso against his desk – face down. I gasp loudly.

He roughly hikes up my skirt to my hips and quickly pulls down my lace panties over my high heels. Then without warning, he slaps my bare ass – _hard_.

" _Ahh!_ "

"Count!" he growls.

" _One_ ," I gasp.

"We're going to _twenty_ ," he says through gritted teeth. "This is for you keeping shit from me. We _never_ do that in our marriage. Is that understood?"

I don't care what Grey says; the Dom in him has _never left_. It's always remained in him in one form of another. And to be totally honest, I think this side of him is _hotter than a motherfucker_.

" _Yes_ … _yes, Sir_ ," I breathe.

 _Damn, I'm so turned on._ I've really missed this side of him – _Mr. Take Control._ He's been absent for quite some time.

"The second that either you _or_ the kids get hurt…I don't care if it's a fucking paper cut – you tell me!" And before I can respond, his big, strong hand comes down again, slapping hard against my bare flesh. The force vibrates the sturdy, solid oak desk.

Fuck!

" _Two_ …" I tremble.

Well _that_ hurt.  
 _We're going to twenty he said?  
Should I safe word now?_

But then I realized that these past few days have been extremely hard on me. Hell, this mixture of pain and animalistic pleasure…I absolutely needed this. The drastic change in my hormones – the stressing out over work and the children…the stressing out over Christian…

Yes, this is therapeutic – for the both of us.

I'm counting absentmindedly, and with each strike, my body practically melts across the surface of my husband's desk. And before I know it, I'm climbing higher and higher. And from the rising sound of his panting, so is he.

" _Fifteen…ahhh…_ "

I can feel the warmth in between my legs. I am drenched with such want and desire. I feel like flames looming large in the midst of a torrential downpour. _It's…_

I have zero words. I am lost.

" _T…twenty…ahhh…_ "

I can hear him frantically undoing his pants in seconds flat. He then spreads my thighs and slams into me. We both groan together as he takes me in a brutal pace right over his desk. Soon, his chest lies flat against the back of my blouse, but his punishing rhythm never breaks.

"Fuck… _Ana_!" he growls loudly into my ear, almost piercing it.

" _Ahhhhh…_ "

He wraps his hand around my hair and tugs it back, lifting my chin from off of the table. He has the rest of me pinned down so tightly that I am unable to meet his rapid thrusts. I'm being held captive during his possession – loving every minute of it. Soon, I am building and I cry out in response as I come crashing down.

" _Bunny_ … _I'm coming_!" he gravels – his voice, clipped. He pours himself into me as his body continues to quake over mine.

After what seemed to be a couple of minutes, Christian rises from my back and I quickly stand to my feet and retrieve my panties from the floor. As I slide the garment up my thighs and under my navy blue skirt, I catch the amused look in my husband's eyes. His suit pants are still open, exposing his semi-erection. I try to maintain a poker face.

"I hope that we can finally put this Brie thing behind us. I've apologized to you over and over," I say, exasperated. He sucks in his lips to keep from smiling and then nods agreeably at me.

"You really were a dick to me," I add.

"I know, baby. I'm sorry," he says with a shy smile.

Really, Grey?

And part of me wants to punish him for putting me through his bullshit these past eight days. But instead, I march over towards my office.

"Mrs. Grey, where do you think _you're_ …"

"I have meetings," I say, cutting him off. I then place my hand on the knob of the door that leads into my office. Before I open it, I shift my head and look back at him.

"I'll promise to not keep any more injuries – _minor or otherwise_ from you. But you need to promise me that you'll stop being such an ass and accept my apology the moment I ask for it. I'm not perfect, Christian. I am going to make judgment calls. Sometimes, I am going to be wrong. Don't punish me for it."

At my words, his smile overtakes his face and he doesn't fight it this time.

"But Mrs. Grey, I enjoy punishing you – especially in the way that I just did. Are you going to tell me that you didn't enjoy that?" he purrs.

Without saying another word, I continue onward, opening the door and immediately shutting it behind me. I then lean against it, beaming ear-to-ear – _absolutely satisfied_ and _utterly relieved_.

Yes, Christian and I are so fucking twisted.  
 _And I love it._

* * *

 ** _A/N: In the next chapter, Ana spends some one-on-one time with Kate while Ted finally decides to try and move on from Sophie._**

 ** _Then in Chapter 9, we move up two years and find out what Ted, Phoebe, and Sophie have been up to since graduation. Something happens on the home front that will shock everyone._**

 ** _I have a major work trip coming up next week. I would like to try and have another update for my other story, TCB before I update the next chapter to this one. Please bear with me._**

 ** _Make sure that you follow me on Facebook at storietella2 for sneak peaks to upcoming chapters. Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	8. Chapter 8 - Crazy Bitch

**Chapter 8 – Crazy Bitch**

 _Friday, September 26, 2031_

 _Ana_

For the second time in a month, I am graced with the presence of my longtime best friend.

I was surprised when Kate called me first thing this morning and informed me that she had yet another weekend off from the station this month and wanted to spend it with the girls and me. She only wishes that this rare weekend came a week sooner since _last weekend_ was the twins' big birthday bash. And although she mailed the twins a wonderful present ahead of time, for Kate – it still doesn't take the place of _her_ being present.

Sometimes I wish that she'd just move back to Seattle. But _Kate McCall_ is a household name in Portland and for tonight anyway at least, it's just her and I.  
Just like old times.

Christian insisted that she and I have our _girl time_ out alone while he stayed home and keep the twins company. Phoebe was on her way out to dinner with Hanson as I was leaving work to meet Kate. After dinner, the adorable young couple plans on joining Christian and the twins at home to watch a movie.

Again – I have to pinch myself at how far things have come in just a short period of time. Getting Christian to allow Phoebe to even date in the first place was like performing a root canal with no anesthetic. I couldn't have fathomed a day when Christian would actively include Hanson in our family plans.

I mean, seriously.

I remember gaping at him and Phoebe at the dinner table last night as the following conversation took place:

 _"Phoebe, will Hanson be joining us at Bethany's fall recital a week from tomorrow?"_

 _"I told him about it and he seemed pretty stoked. He's been itching to hear Beth play her guitar."_

 _"Keep me informed. Andrea needs a final headcount for our dinner reservation after the recital."_

It's as if I were living in some sort of _alternate universe_. But that's _nothing_. I've witnessed Christian and Hanson on a couple of occasions go off into his study or elsewhere in the house, just the two of them, and talk.

Yes… _talk_.

No, Christian didn't threaten him within an inch of his life, but they had a genuine back and forth – a very calm and casual dialogue between two gentlemen.

One day _in passing_ , I heard Hanson asking Christian questions about GEH as he appeared to be weighing his options. Hanson has yet to declare a major at UW, so he's doing what he should be doing – which is asking the right questions to someone who can give him good, solid career advice.

And Christian was more than happy to oblige:

 _"We have an excellent summer internship program for full-time college students. I can send you all of the details to look over and see if it's something that you may be interested in. Take the three months to see if the realm of enterprise is something that you'd be interested in pursuing once you return to UW for your sophomore year. Coincidently, Phoebe plans on working at GEH next summer under a specialty program for exceptional high school students."_

 _"Yeah – Phoebe told me all about that. I'd really appreciate the opportunity, Mr. Grey. Funny enough, I actually have an appointment next week with my advisor to explore some intern opportunities."_

 _"Cancel it. I'm sure you won't find a better opportunity than this, especially not locally. Most of these other internships will have you running out to fetch coffee or arrange lunch for clients. At our internship program, you will learn more about business and economics in three months than you would in an entire year in school."_

 _"Wow – that's great Sir. I'd definitely be interested in exploring something like that."_

Again – what in the fuck is going on here?

My husband who once called the same young man who eagerly wanted to date our eldest daughter an _asshole_ is now practically begging him to intern at our company next summer.

The eerie theme music from the prehistoric television series – _The Twilight Zone_ plays loudly in my head. _Hell, I think that show even predates my parents._

And part of me wonders if this is my husband's way of plugging Hanson into some sort of _Teddy-shaped void_. In the past, Christian has tried to push our son to work summers at GEH. However next year, Teddy of course will be doing an award-winning internship at Amazon in the vendor/supplier relations group.

It's an opportunity of a lifetime that our brilliant young man earned all on his own. Teddy didn't land the job because he was _Christian Grey's son_. I think that's why the Amazon gig means more to Teddy than anything else right now.

 _He_ did that, not _us_.

But part of me feels that Christian isn't 100% on board with Teddy interning anywhere else other than at GEH. Christian even seems more comfortable with Teddy taking classes over at UW ( _which I thought he would absolutely blow a gasket over_ ) than he is with Teddy working at Amazon. Sophie is at UW, and we all know how Christian felt about Teddy's affinity for her.

 _I have my own thoughts about the entire situation, but I simply keep them to myself._

Today, I have no idea what's going on with Sophie, if _anything_. Teddy no longer talks about her to us. The girls haven't mentioned her lately. Christian hasn't mentioned her.

I still ask Taylor and Gail about her from time to time. I really miss her. She was almost like a fifth child to us. Sophie has been around since we made Puget Sound our home. Now I'm heartbroken that those days seem to be so distant.

 _Hell_ – I remember the time when Gail and I helped Sophie get ready for her senior prom. Just the thought sends a pang through my chest. _Should I call Sophie myself to see how she's doing? Or should I just wait it out until the spring and ask Teddy if he's seen her at UW? It will be her final semester there before graduation, I believe._

Dragging me out of my reflective state, Kate sashays from the ladies' room and back over to our reserved table here at Club Sahara. She's looking as gorgeous as ever. Only Kate can sport over-washed jeans frayed at the thighs, a white V-neck tee, and a long beige cardigan with matching suede booties – and make it look _New York_ _runway fabulous_. I'm just wearing standard jeans with a blue blazer over a boring black blouse.

"That is _one fancy bathroom_ ," Kate exhales as she takes a seat.

"Yeah, I know," I beam. With its wide teardrop-shaped archways, gorgeous chandeliers, draped and jeweled table lamps, and dark marble floors, the club embodies the romantic essence of the old classic film _Casablanca_. The difference is that our surroundings are rich with beautiful, vibrant color. The entire ambiance is absolutely breathtaking.

"Aren't you and Grey majority owners here?" she inquires in a voice slightly dialed up another octave.

"Yep."

" _Geez_ , I'll never get used to you being a multi-billionaire Steele – even after almost twenty years of you being one. Under all of that money and power, you're still that same shy little bookworm who _hates_ to shop. Maybe it's because I don't work at GEH that I don't get to experience that other side of you," she says before taking a sip of her merlot.

"I'm still _me_ , Kate. I'm _nothing_ like them," I murmur as I discretely pan the room of expensively dressed diners in the background. "Most of them are on their third or fourth marriages and think that money is the answer to all of their problems," I utter with contempt.

"It's not. I know that now. Money _isn't_ everything," she echoes my sentiment. But as I look at her when she says it, it doesn't appear to come from a place of sadness, anger, or regret. In fact, _this Kate_ looks significantly different from the Kate that I saw earlier this month. _This Kate_ sitting across from me appears to be quite resolved.

" _What_?" Kate says, wincing back at me. My brow arches in confusion. "You're looking at me _all weird_ ," she clarifies. _Oh, I had no idea that I was being obvious._

"Nothing," I say, trying to revise my expression. "By the way, the twins absolutely loved the massive collection of rare gel nail polishes and the fancy motorized manicure set that you sent them."

" _I know_ – I was so excited to hear from them when they called to thank me. I can't wait to see them tonight," she beams. "At first I was thinking that we should all do each other's nails tomorrow. But I think that this weekend calls for another pampering day at the spa for the five of us girls. _And_ Sloan of course, if she'd like to join us."

"Phoebe probably won't be joining us. She's going to the _U-Dub_ football game tomorrow with Hanson," I inform her. Her brows rise up in delight.

"Man, where has the time gone? Phoebe's got a serious guy now… _Sloan's_ got a guy…" I squint at her words before cutting her off.

" _Wait_...did I ever tell you about Sloan?" I ask, perplexed. I don't recall discussing my niece's dating life with Kate. In fact, I never bring up Sloan unless Kate asks about her.

" _No_ …" Just before Kate can go into more detail, the waiter approaches the table for our initial order. We request an appetizer for the table and salads before he heads off.

"So, you were on your way to the doctor's this morning when I called you," Kate starts, and I forget all about the previous topic. "Is everything okay?" she asks, concerned. I take in a deep breath.

"Well, I talked to my mom earlier in the week and told her what was going on with me. She suspected that I'm going through what _she_ went through back when she was my age. Carla was pre-menopausal at the time."

" _Whoa_ – I had no clue…about Carla _or_ you…"

"Yeah, I've been experiencing these random hot flashes. I became very moody… _well_ – moodier than usual. So this morning, I went to my doctor and she ordered a series of tests. Her first observation was that I'm a classic case of _rapid perimenopause_."

"Jeez, Ana. That's _crazy_ ," Kate reacts in disbelief.

"I know. Ain't genetics grand?" I say, rolling my eyes. "Anyway, I'm off birth control now to see if that helps to even out my hormonal episodes."

Kate gapes at me. "Are you kidding me? The last thing you want is to be over forty and pregnant…"

"Yeah, tell me about it," I interject, soberly shutting eyes and slowly shaking my head.

"…and with nearly all grown children. You're _so close_ to freedom," she finishes, shaking her fists for emphasis.

"Exactly. However, my doctor doesn't think that it's very likely that I'll get pregnant anyway. I've gone through three pregnancies – one of them with multiples, followed by thirteen years straight on birth control. Couple that with wacky hormones and the likeliness of me falling in line with my grandmother and mom with the early menopause thing…"

"But _still_. Shouldn't Grey get clipped or something? I mean…its _way_ easier recovery-wise for him to do that than it is for you to get your tubes tied," Kate expresses with wide-open eyes.

"I'm sure Christian would do it if I suggested it. Although, he's been bugging me for years saying: _'Let's have one more.'_ Nope. I'm not going to be pushing 60 with a teenager." Kate laughs. "Teenagers are _hard work_ ," I conclude, letting out a pained sigh.

"In all honesty, its never too late to have children. You know how people are having kids much later these days and living _way longer_ to enjoy them," she muses.

The distant beam in her eye catches me. There's a shift in her countenance. It's as though she's hopeful for herself. Then I wonder if she's rekindled things with Tom. But then that flash of a thought is short-lived once I quickly remember that Tom is a cheating asshole. Instead of focusing in on Kate's mood change, because I know she'll simply write it off, I shift the focus back to my doctor's visit.

"But anyway, the lab results should be back in about a week. Then I'll go back in a couple of weeks to get more blood work done. Right now, we're just playing things by ear. Getting old _royally sucks_ ," I pout.

"Tell me about it. I am so lame these days. When I'm not at the station, I'm taking frequent naps. _Who the hell takes naps?_ I haven't napped since pre-school," Kate chuckles. I laugh with her.

"Naps are _wonderful_ ," I say wistfully.

"Yeah, especially after wild hot sex," Kate says with a scandalous grin. I beam wide in response, unable to disguise my delight. " _Bitch_ ," she mutters under her breath, and I giggle at her mock contempt. "I swear if my non-existent sex life ever comes back to life, I want it to mimic yours," she says wistfully.

"You know, you sure do work your ass off over at that news studio…" and just before I have the opportunity to suggest that she go out and meet someone, Kate interrupts me.

"And this is just the calm before the _November sweeps storm_ knocks me dead on my ass," she adds, dreading the foreseeable future.

"That's over a month away. Meanwhile, maybe you can take the time to go out on a date… _or two_ ," I say, finally getting the chance to speak what was on my mind.

" _Meh_ ," she says, quickly brushing me off. I laugh at her brusque dismissal.

"I'm serious. Kate – _you should date_. No strings attached. Just go out there and have a good time. Be that old _fun-loving Kate_ from college. Just _um_ …dial it back a little," I tease along with a telling smirk. _Oh yes, I remember the good ol' days when Kate would meet a cute guy for the first time and not come home until the morning._

Kate dips her tips in her water glass and quickly flings over a splash at me from across the table. I squeal and she chuckles almost villainously. As I dab my face dry with my cloth napkin, I catch another contemplative look on her face. I make the decision to no longer ignore it.

"What is it?" I probe. She doesn't respond right away.

And then it hits me. Her and Elliot spoke the last time they were over at the house together. With everything that's going on between the kids and work, I didn't think to call her to find out if they kept in touch afterwards. Following their one-on-one exchange a couple of weeks ago in the great room, Kate indicated that she and Elliot only engaged in _friendly_ _small talk_.

Nothing more.

"Well…Elliot and I have _sort of been_ talking on the phone," she confesses. My eyes spring wide open. " _A lot_ ," she says with emphasis. I gape at her, totally stunned.

" _Umm_ …for how long?"

"Since I last came to Seattle. He and I speak just about every day," she says matter-of-factly.

" _What_! Why am I just finding out about this?" I spark. I'm appalled with being left in the dark. Especially when it comes to my best friend and my brother-in-law.

 _Does Christian know that they've been talking?_

"Settle down, Mrs. Grey," she shushes. "I don't even know what this is…if it's anything at all. That's why I haven't said anything. I haven't told anyone."

"But still, Kavanagh. I'm not just _anyone_. You could've told me," I say with a playful pout.

"Again, we're just talking. That's all. _Oh shit_ …" Kate stops abruptly as if something suddenly rushes into her remembrance. I flash her a concerned look in an attempt to silently urge her to say what's on her mind.

"I told Elliot yesterday that I was coming to Seattle to hang out with you and the girls. Then he asked if I was free for dinner Saturday night," she murmurs from the corner of her mouth while awkwardly clenching her teeth.

"Uh… _yeah_ you're free," I say emphatically.

" _Ana_ …"

"No – you _need_ to go," I push. Kate sighs.

"Look…it was easy to break the ice with him over at your place because we weren't alone. And over phone and text wasn't bad either because we had a buffer. Over the phone, we'd only talk about our work, Sloan, and any other random shit that happened on that particular day."

After a deep inhale, she continues, "Using the phone and only audio, I can't see him and he can't see me. We haven't tried communicating over hologram yet like all _the cool kids_ are doing now," she says with an eye roll. "But Elliot's asked for it more than once. I just continued to put it off, telling him that audio option was more convenient for me at the time since my hologram equipment is set up in a different room."

Hearing Kate's struggle leaves me torn. I'm not used to _this Kate_. The Kate that I know isn't afraid of anything. _Why wouldn't she want to see him?_

"Kate…" I start lovingly before she interrupts me.

"I have to get mentally prepared to dive in and reopen some old wounds," she spits out. Her reveal takes me aback.

"It's been twenty years, Kate. I thought you got over the breakup?" I say, not understanding her distressed predicament.

"You know that I've never _really_ gotten over him. I don't understand why we even broke up in the first place," she says, chuckling nervously.

"You didn't think that he truly wanted _you_ and _only you_ ," I remind her.  
She flashes me an ' _aha'_ expression.

"My issue with Elliot? He had eyes and was _just being a man_. He was slightly flirty – but he was _always_ that way with girls…young _and_ old. That was _him_ just being kind and sweet and loving. I know that now. But one thing I can say is that he was _never_ blatantly disrespectful towards me. He was never a _Tom_." I can hear her voice starting to turn hoarse.

 _No, Kate – don't._

I wish I could take all of her pain and hurt away.  
My desire is to see her happy and in love.

I reach for my best friend's hand from across the table and squeeze it tightly.

"Yeah, Elliot's always been sort of a flirt. A lady in passing might catch his eye, but the only girl who I ever seen take his heart captive was _you_. I can honestly say that he truly _loved_ you," I say emphatically. Kate's focus shifts from me to the table.

"I never really understood that whole _Lily thing_. Why in the hell did he marry her anyway?" she says quietly. I give her hand another loving squeeze.

"Sloan. It was because of his daughter," I tell her. Kate's eyes come back up to mine and they are narrowed.

"He actually fucked that psycho," she says with contempt.

I nod. "Yeah…that obviously had to happen in order for her to get pregnant," I say deadpan.

She sighs. "Why would he even have unprotected sex with her?" I can tell that she immediately regrets her words. "Hell, I feel awful saying that. Elliot told me that his daughter is the best thing that's ever happen to him." I release her hand and she uses it to rub her eyes.

I nod in agreement the moment her eyes are back on me. "Sloan is one amazing young lady," I add.

"Absolutely. Elliot gets all of the credit for that. The _gold digging tramp_ played no part in it."

"Truth," I cosign. "So Elliot must've told you all about Jaxon."

"Yes. Elliot said that he's a nice young man and a very hard worker. Have you met him yet?"

"No, not yet…but Christian wants to grill him," I laugh. Kate rolls her eyes with a smirk. "Elliot said he's already vetted Jaxon and doesn't need Christian to frighten him away," I add.

"Exactly… _although_ Hanson has stuck around. Maybe Grey's the true litmus test to see exactly what these boys are made of. If they stick around, then they are durable," Kate proposes. I laugh.

"Well, Phoebe seems to really like Jaxon for Sloan. They've gone on a few double dates, so the four of them apparently enjoy each other's company," I tell Kate.

She practically swoons at the news. " _Aww_ …that's so sweet! It sort of reminds me of _our_ double dates back in the day." I narrow my eyes at her and then she bursts out laughing. "On second thought, scratch that. I hope their double dates are _nothing_ like ours were."

Of course Kate's referring to the time when she yelled at Christian in a crowded restaurant. Elliot had to hold her back, while Christian insisted that he and I leave without eating dinner.

 _Boy oh boy, how times have changed._

Nowadays Christian looks out for Kate as if she were his younger sister. While their relationship may have grown stronger over the years, it pains me to see that the same didn't happen for her and Elliot. However, I'm hoping for a change in the tide.

Just before I can ask Kate more about what she and Elliot have been chatting about, our hot appetizers arrive along with our salads. The waiter asks if we've decided on dinner as he replenishes our wine glasses. I order first, giving Kate enough time to quickly browse over the menu. As the waiter heads off with our order, Kate's cell chimes. She reaches for it in her bag, which hangs behind her chair. Her eyes blink as she studies the screen.

"It's him. He's asking about tomorrow night."

"Hell, Kate – tell him ' _yes'_ ," I pipe. She places the phone face down on the table and lifts her eyes towards the ceiling in heavy contemplation. After a few short beats, she looks back at me.

"I _really_ don't want to do this. I don't want to face him because I know I'm going to want to know why he didn't fight for us way back when. I'm going to want to know why he moved on with Lily instead of returning to me."

My heart practically breaks for Kate, but I push forward in an attempt to speak some encouragement into her. "And I think it's perfectly fine for you to ask him those hard-hitting questions. It wouldn't be totally out of line since you've been sort of avoiding the inevitable when speaking to him every day for the past few weeks."

She reaches for a nacho chip in the center of the table and dips it into the bubbling hot porcelain dish of spinach dip. " _I know, I know_. But I don't want to come across as whiny. I hate bringing up old shit," she says before munching down on the chip.

"Why don't you just feel him out first. You'll know when it's appropriate to ask the burning questions." Her eyes look at me with resolve. She nods in agreement as she finishes chewing her food.

"Speaking of…I have a _burning question_ for you. Have you talked to the divorce lawyer yet?" I lob at her. She lets out a long, pained sigh. " _Kate_ – just get it over and done with. You and Tom need to move on," I chastise in my _mom voice_.

"Well obviously he's already fucking done that with _the slut_ ," she huffs.

"But you need closure too. You can't move forward while you're still legally tied to him," I reason.

"I know, Ana – _I know_. I need to make certain that he doesn't get a dime from me. I'm just dragging my feet, dreading all of the potential bullshit that Thomas might pull."

"Why would Tom need a dime from you? He runs a successful media enterprise. Doesn't he earn more money than you do?" I say, perplexed.

"Tom _looks_ wealthy on paper, but I suspect that it'll come out that he's really cash poor. A vast majority of his assets are extremely hard to liquefy. And although my salary at the station is only six figures, there's of course my _other_ assets – including the trust fund and shares of my dad's company."

Oh yes.

 _Of course_ her parents would make certain that their beloved son and daughter have a large share of the fruits from the Kavanagh Media empire. Even today, Tom McCall's emerging media corporation doesn't even come close to that of his former mentor's.

Eamon Kavanagh is a very respected name in the industry that many reputable entities do tons of business with – _GEH included_. The moment that Tom McCall got caught cheating on Eamon's daughter, he lost a major ally.

"You know, our legal staff is second to none. And if you need Christian's _PI_ again to help pull together a rock solid case for you…"

" _I know_. If I come to the point of needing to break out the big guns, you and Christian will be my first call," she smiles warmly at me. It's then when I know to drop the subject – _at least for now_.

"So dinner. Tomorrow – _with Elliot_. It's going to happen," I state with finality.

Kate tries to fight a wide grin before biting into another chip.

* * *

 _Sunday, December 14, 2031_

 _Ted_

For the past eleven weeks, I've been functioning on autopilot.

 _I refuse to let myself feel anything._

I've been 100% focused on excelling in all of my courses. In fact, I was done with my semester a week ago. Instead of heading back home to Seattle early, I decided to partake in a few activities on campus. One of those activities includes having _a lot_ of sex.

Many weeks ago, I finally let Cheerleader Rebecca – _aka Rebecca the BJ Queen_ – do more than just blow me. Of course, I first had to apologize profusely to her for lying about being gay. I told her that _it was complicated_. But now, I'm no longer fucking with complexity. I'm only dealing with what comes easy.

I guess the only bad thing about fucking Cheerleader Rebecca is that she doesn't know how to leave me alone. And she's constantly reminding me that no other dude has ever given her an orgasm during intercourse as I have.

 _"Only you know how to speak to my body, Teddy."_

She purred that into my ear, as we lie naked in her sorority house bed early this morning. It happened not too long before I would leave for the flight that I am currently sitting on.

Becky's been eager to broadcast to everyone who will listen that I'm her boyfriend. Meanwhile, I'm not so quick to give us a name. As far as I'm concerned, we were simply in a monogamous male/female friendship for a few weeks that included _a lot_ of sex.

 _Yeah, I don't care for titles. Not anymore, anyway._

And Rebecca had the gall to try and convince me _not_ to take the spring semester internship at Amazon. _She must be out of her fucking mind._

 _"I don't know if I'll be able to get through next semester without you."_

You know what, Cheerleader Rebecca? You'll do absolutely fine without me. The next _hot guy_ will roll along and you'll forget all about me. Perhaps you can teach _him_ how to _communicate directly with your body_ just as I have.

As I recline back in my seat in first class, I wrestle with the dull pain that threatens to resurface with a vengeance. There's no fighting it. I'm going to have to face Sophie eventually. I will probably run into her on the UW campus sometime while heading to or from the classes I am taking there during my spring semester internship.

When I land at SeaTac, I am shocked when I happen upon Mr. Taylor with a cart, kindly beaming in my direction as he stands beside my assigned luggage carousel. Part of me feels warm because I'm home – and Taylor reminds me of _home_. But the other half of me stings because Taylor is also Sophie's father. I try my damnedest to shake off the second half.

"Welcome home, _young Mr. Grey_ ," he greets warmly.

"Thank you, Mr. Taylor," I smile in return. "Is my family here with you?"

"No, they are running behind due to Sunday afternoon traffic, but they will catch up with you later at the house. How about we retrieve your luggage?" he shifts too quickly.

I find it fairly odd that neither my mom, nor my dad, nor my sisters bothered to tag along with Taylor. This isn't like them. I skipped coming back home for Thanksgiving in order to work feverishly on a special project for my Advanced Econ class. This will be the first time any of them will see me since I came here for a day early September to meet the team that I'll be working with at Amazon.

Once I spot my three enormous Tumi suitcases when they surface on the carousel, Mr. Taylor and I quickly load them onto the luggage cart.

Unlike my father, I sit right beside Mr. Taylor in the front seat as he drives us home. The two of us engage in a bit of small talk. I ask him " _how's everyone doing_ " without mentioning any names. I do it this way because if I were to ask him about Mrs. Taylor, it would seem strange when I don't ask him about Sophie. Although it is my hope that the topic of Sophie never comes up during the long drive, I still do care deeply about her.

But the fact remains that she hurt me greatly.

Part of me wants to take it out on my father and even Taylor. Part of me thinks that the two of them had everything to do with driving Sophie and I apart. However, I instantly realize that _no one_ forced Sophie Taylor to get engaged to _that dude_. If I know Mr. Taylor – _and I think I do_ , he would _not_ approve of this Aiden dipshit.

No, nobody made Sophie accept his marriage proposal. It was _all her call_.

I attempt every few minutes to shoo away these hard-to-swallow thoughts, making for a very long and uncomfortable drive. There are long awkward stretches of silence between Mr. Taylor and I – and in between, my phone buzzes.

Fuck.

 ** _Rebecca  
_** 1:15p: _Hey Loverboy. I miss you already.  
Did you land safely?_

 ** _Ted  
_** 1:16p: _I did. I'm heading over to my folks' place now_

 ** _Rebecca  
_** 1:16p: _Yay! So you think you'll be able to call me after  
catching up with the fam?_

Shit, this girl has very unrealistic expectations.

 ** _Ted  
_** 1:16p: _I'm not 100%. It depends on what the fam's plans are._

 ** _Rebecca  
_** 1:17p: _Whether you have a chance to call me tonight or not,  
I still hope that I am on your mind. You'll definitely stay on mine.  
In fact, I'm having a hard time getting out of bed to pack.  
I'm lying here exactly as you left me._

 _Holy shit._ I may not be that into Cheerleader Rebecca, but my penis is certainly fond of her. And to add insult to injury, she follows up her text with a pic proving that what she said is indeed true.

She's still in bed. Naked.  
She's naked and smiling at me.

I quickly close the message window, nervous that Mr. Taylor will happen to turn his head and catch a screen-full of tits.

….

When Taylor pulls into the garage, it's eerily quiet. Taylor mentioned earlier that Dad took the family out somewhere for brunch, and they were heading my way until they encountered heavy traffic.

They should be home soon.

I head towards the trunk to get my luggage, but Mr. Taylor shoos me away. "I'll get that, Ted," he insists. "Go and make yourself comfortable. Again, _welcome home_ ," he grins. I can't help but notice that there's something else blended in with his smile. And if I had to figure out what it was in order to save my life, I would lose it.

I exit the garage and enter the house through the connecting foyer. It's daytime, yet it's quiet and unusually dark in here. _Who closed the blinds?_

Instinctively, I flip the switch for the entire great room. Immediately, I see a flash of bodies followed by a cacophony of whistles, cranks, shakers and cheers.

 **"Surprise!"**

I gape at everyone before me as my eyes continue to mindlessly pan my surroundings. Up above, I see a big banner that reads: _Welcome Home Ted!_

As my eyes continue to survey the room, _there_ I see Grandma Carla.

 _What is she doing here_?

Grandma and Grandpa Grey are here. And there are my parents and my sisters, all wearing crazy ass grins. _Hey_ – there's Hanson standing right beside Phoebe. I give Hanson a slight wink before I turn to see my Uncle Elliot. Standing _way too close_ by his side is Aunt Kate – and standing on the other side of _her_ with their arms locked together is my cousin Sloan. My eyes gape at the sight.

And very close to Sloan on _her_ other side is a tall dude that I've never seen before. _That must be her boyfriend, Jaxon._

What in the hell's going on here? I feel as though I've been living in some time warp as opposed to California.

"Hey big bro! We've missed you," Brie says, quickly snapping me out of my tangled train of thought. Both she and Beth fling their arms around me and I hug _the_ _gruesome twosome_ tightly.

"I was so mad when I heard that you came to town back in September. We didn't even get to see you," Beth pouts as she and Brie pull away to see me.

"Hey kiddo, I was just home for part of the day. In fact, I only saw Mom and Dad while you were still in school," I say in my defense.

" _And_ Phoebe," Brie adds. I gape at her because I know that the entire room just heard her say it. No one was supposed to know about me running into Phoebe at UW when she skipped school that day to see Hanson.

I brace myself and immediately expect to see Dad lose his shit in front of _everybody_. I pretty much expect him to throw Hanson out on his ass like Uncle Phil did to Will's friend Jazz every week on those reruns of _The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air_.

"We know _all_ about that," my mother says to me with a disapproving grin from across the way. I sigh in utter relief. _I know that it's taking a miracle for my father's head not to explode right now._ I laugh as I watch Dad struggle within.

"Hey, that was my one and only time _ever_ skipping class!" Phoebe counters out loud to our parents in her defense.

"No excuse," my father grumbles disapprovingly as my mother attempts to lighten up his mood with a little back rub.

"For the record, I did _not_ encourage her to do that. In fact, I told her to return to class _immediately_ ," Hanson is quick to point out. Laughter fills the room.

"Anyway, how's the _ol' ankle_ doing these days, Brie? Is it as good as new yet?" I ask my baby sister.

"It was good enough to get us into semi-finals last month. Although if I never got hurt in the first place, we probably would've gone all the way to finals," she pouts.

"Well, at least you have one last year of middle school volleyball to bring it home. Then after that's done, you'll be vying for varsity position in high school in no time," I say as I tussle the hair on the crown of her head.

"The high school varsity coach has already spoken to Mom and Dad about Brie. She wants her to bypass junior varsity altogether if she keeps playing the way that she has," Beth says proudly.

"That's so awesome, kiddo!" I pull Brie in for another hug.

"Yeah, I know," she grins with pride. "Also, Beth's been jamming after school with the high school ensemble. The band teachers there love her and can't wait for her to attend school there," Brie says, returning praise to her twin. These two are such a trip, I swear. One twin's always there to stroke the other's ego.

I love it, and _them_.

"Mom told me all about it. I also hear that you're interested in the SYSO – Seattle Conservatory program for high school students over at SPU," I say to Beth.

"Yep," she glitters with delight.

"You'll be a shoe-in, no doubt." She's an insanely talented young musician. I wish I were as dedicated on the keys as Beth is on the strings.

"Thanks, big bro," she says, hooking me with one arm and pulling me into her tiny side.

I continue to shift in the room – feeling _love_ surrounding me.  
Next in line is Grandma Carla.

"And what are you doing here, gorgeous lady?" I beam as I pull her in for a tight hug.

"He gets that from his Uncle," I faintly hear my Uncle Elliot say. His remark is met with both snickering and outright laughter.

"I haven't seen my only grandson in forever," she rasps as she plants a kiss on my cheek. "Your mother thought that it would be a great idea if I came here for a month while you're here working your internship. I'll finally get to spend quality time with _all_ of my grandchildren."

A wide beaming smile overtakes my face. "I'm so glad you're here," I say, hugging her once more.

" _Aww_ ," she exhales over my shoulder as she squeezes me tight.

"And I'm more than happy that _we'll_ get to spend time with you as well," a different feminine voice speaks. I open my eyes as Grandma Carla steps aside so I can see both Grandma Grace and Grandpa Carrick. I hug them both at the same time.

I know that I've been a shitty grandson. I've been way too busy wallowing in my own self-pity over my struggles with my folks (particularly my dad), and over my broken heart caused by Sophie. I forgotten how fortunate I am to have so many people in my corner who truly love and care for me.

I used to call my grandparents all of the time for no apparent reason at all, just to hear their voices. Lately, that has changed. My calls have ceased altogether. Today, I am just so grateful to see _all_ of them. _Wait_ …

"Where's Grandpa Bob?" I say, turning to look at Grandma Carla.

"He'll be here the week of Christmas. He can't wait to see you, too. I also hear that your Grandpa Ray will be making his way over sometime soon," she smiles. After a few moments of back and forth with my three grandparents, I make my way over to my folks. I flash them a ' _aren't you sneaky_ ' look. They each give me their own unique conspiratorial grin.

"Mr. Taylor said that you were caught in traffic. _Mom_ ," I scold with a smirk as I pull my mother into a squeeze. She kisses me on the cheek.

"I didn't tell Taylor to _lie_ ," she giggles. "I only told him to tell you that we would meet you over at the house."

"But he knows that you always go with him to pick me up from the airport," I volley.

"I guess you gave Taylor no other choice but to _bend the truth_ ," my dad interjects with a smirk. I chuckle before the two of us hug way too quickly. "Welcome home, son," he says as he pats my back.

"Thanks, Dad."

My relationship with my father is odd. He's not a very _touchy-feely_ kind of guy. I'm just surprised that he didn't extend out his hand to me in a handshake instead.

Ironically, I did watch old home movies from when I was a little kid. Back then my dad was always very gentle and affectionate towards me. However for some reason, I can't recall from memory a time where he didn't treat me like he's treating me now. I mean, it wasn't like my dad didn't hug me a lot back then. Maybe things changed the moment he discovered that I wasn't his _little boy_ anymore.

I casually transition over to a waiting Phoebe and Hanson. Pheeb is very quick to jump up and yank me into her arms.

"Double trouble, back again!" she teases. That's what Pheeb used to call Hanson and me back when we were in high school together. I laugh as she releases me, then I _slap five_ with Hanson before we pull each other into a bro-hug.

"Dude…this is _so creepy_. You're dating my little sister," I say with mock disgust. He barks in laughter.

"It's all good, TG. Nothing has to change with us. We're still boys. At least I hope that we are," he chuckles.

"For sure," I say, slapping him five again. "But what's weirder is that my Pops _lets you_ come here," I murmur humorously. Both he and Phoebe laugh.

"It's crazy, right?" Phoebe gasps. "Dad _loves_ Hanson. He rather hang out with _him_ than with me and the twins," she adds. I gape at the two of them.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," I breathe.

"Your Dad is pretty awesome," Hanson beams. Pheeb and me both gawk at him.

"Nah…you're not talking about _Christian Grey_ over there, right?" I whisper in disbelief as I watch my parents chat with _their_ parents.

"Yeah, man," Hanson laughs. "And starting next month, guess who's going to be interning twice a week over at Grey House during ball season?"

No fucking way.

"You _can't_ be serious," I murmur at him. Hanson goofily nods in the affirmative.

"Dude, you'll be attending classes and practicing for the new season in February… _and_ interning at GEH. That sounds _next to impossible_."

"Nope, it's quite doable actually. In fact, I talked it over with coach and everything. Also during summer, I'll be interning at GEH full-time," he says matter-of-factly.

I can't believe what I am hearing. This sounds like a hot ass mess in the making. Something will have to give. It's either going to be work or baseball.

 _Was this my father's urging?_

"So where will you be working?" I ask, still stunned.

"With the data analytics group, the same place _you_ interned when you were there," he says.

And I can't help but to feel somewhat offended by where my dad is assigning him.

 _Why the analytics group?  
Why not marketing, logistics, or finance?_

"And I'll be interning at Grey House in the afternoons starting next month as well. I'll be in the mailroom," Phoebe pipes. And I want to roll my eyes so fucking hard right now.

I think it's extremely odd how _everyone's_ going to be interning at GEH. It's almost cult-like. I wouldn't be surprised if Dad pulls in Sloan and her boyfriend too, even though they are working together at Grey Constriction. And I know that Dad's just itching for when the twins are old enough to join the fold.

Again, I could roll my eyes until they fall out of their sockets.

After a few moments more with Hanson and Phoebe, I then hug Aunt Kate, Uncle Elliot, and Sloan. Sloan introduces me to Jaxon. He's tall, blond, and appears to be a _really_ cool guy. The two of us seem to hit it off right away. He and Hanson look to be good friends as well.

Soon, I turn my attention back to Kate and Elliot. Aunt Kate grins shyly at me as I silently inquire about what I am witnessing. I'm practically playing Ping-Pong with my eyeballs, glancing back and forth between the two of them. They are currently holding hands.

"So um…what did I miss? _Is this_ …is this a thing?" I stutter with a grin as I motion a finger in between the two of them. Aunt Kate laughs and Uncle Elliot smiles greatly.

"You've missed quite a bit, nephew. I'm surprised that your folks haven't already told you. Yes, your Aunt Kate and I are dating once again," he proudly announces.

" _That's_ …that's great. Congratulations," I say sincerely as I bring Aunt Kate in for one more hug. "I'm so happy to hear that," I add.

"Thank you, sweetie. And I'm so glad that you'll be around for the next few months," she says as we release from our embrace. I turn and slap hands with Uncle Elliot.

"So does that mean you're back in Seattle?" I say to Aunt Kate.

"Not quite. I'm here just about every other weekend," she says.

"But hopefully that'll soon change," Uncle Elliot enthusiastically interjects. Kate sighs lovingly and claps him on the arm.

I don't dig any deeper. I'm just so pleased to see that two of my favorite people are now together. They both deserve happiness. They each got a raw deal when they married shitty, unfaithful spouses. Little did they know, they were meant for one other. If I can't be happy myself, I would give everything in this world to see that these two wonderful people are happy.

And it seems as though Aunt Kate and Sloan have quite the connection as well. Throughout the night, I catch the two of them sharing secret laughs. It really warms my heart to see Sloan connecting with another strong woman other than my mother and Grandma Grace.

* * *

 _Ana_

"Why the huge grin, Mrs. Grey?"

As I lay in bed – lost in thought, Christian finally joins me. Once he's in bed and under the covers, he curls up behind me and catches me mid-grin as he trails soft kisses along my neck.

"I'm just... _happy_ ," I say simply. "Teddy's back home, my mother's here...things are going well with Elliot and Kate. Honestly, the night couldn't be better," I say softly. Christian moans into my neck.

"Are you certain about that?" he purrs. I giggle. "I can make things _even better_ ," he says as he flips me on my back. He slides right on top of me and his lips take mine.

"Do you think there will ever be a time when your sex drive will settle down… _just a little bit_?" I smirk at him.

"Nope."

I laugh at his curt reply and he kisses my lips again. "You're just so irresistible, Bunny. And with each passing year, you only get better. Maybe when you stop looking so damned beautiful, I _might_ finally give you a break at night." I flash him a playful pout and he kisses my droopy lips anyway.

"Although, I don't think it'll happen even then. I'd simply place a bag over your head before I fuck you," he trolls. I playfully slap him loudly on his muscular arm. He laughs.

Suddenly, his hands travel up the side of my legs and over my hips, sliding inside of my satin gown. His hands stop only when they palm my breasts. I throw my head back and his lips attack to my throat. Then his hands rhythmically squeeze my breast as his mouth shifts back to mine. Soon, he's rolling both of my nipples with his fingertips. The action sends a charge straight to my sex.

"I'm waiting for this menopausal thing to stop my kneejerk reaction whenever you touch me," I groan. He chuckles from his throat.

"I am _The Anastasia Whisperer_. No matter what, your body will always respond to me," he hums in between kissing me. I let out a quick burst of laughter through my nose. I know that he speaks the truth. My body has always betrayed me when it comes to _this man_.

I kiss him back with vigor and soon my gown is lifted over my head. I'm completely naked as he forms a trail of kisses from my lips down in between my breasts, and doesn't stop until his lips are kissing my second set of lips.

" _Ah_ …" I groan softly. His mouth is gentle and caring – _worshiping me_. I relish in his gentle touch. I _love_ this, but it never fails – sex always interrupts our conversation. I wanted to talk a little bit more with Christian about tonight.

Teddy was genuinely happy when we surprised him. However, I can't help but notice that something was off. I don't know, maybe it's _a mother's intuition_ , but there's something awry with my baby boy.

I know not to hound him. That tactic usually doesn't work with Theodore Raymond Grey. _He's so much like his father._ I need to encourage him organically to talk to me, or at least talk to _someone_. If not with his father or me, I want Teddy to be able to share his thoughts with someone who he absolutely trusts.

 _It's never good to keep things locked up on the inside._

"Baby?"

I break away from my thoughts and see my husband's shadow hovering over me. I catch the glimmer in his eyes, reinforced by the night sky shining through the window.

" _Hmm_?" I mumble guiltily.

"Are you still with me?" he smirks. I smile and nod.  
"No, you're not," he says with a telling grin.

"I am. I'm right here," I breathe as I slide both hands inside the back of his pajama pants. I glide them down his smooth bare ass and it sends a charge right through me.

" _There she is_ ," he sighs in relief as his lips and tongue duel with mine.

* * *

 _Ted_

"Did you see my pic?" she asks.

I lay in my old bed in dim light with my eyes to the ceiling and my phone to my ear.

"I _did_ ," I murmur.

"You didn't respond. Did you like it?"

"Well, I was sitting next to our family driver when I saw it. So forgive me for not answering you right away," I say in almost a snarky tone.

"Okay…but you had _what_ – like _ten hours_ to reply?"

"Rebecca, I was with my family the _entire time_." I'm really getting irritated with this girl. Again, I can't wait until she gets tired of me and finds someone else more than willing to keep her company. She's super hot and all, and she's great in bed – but she's more trouble than she's worth.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just miss you, is all," she pouts. "Can I call you right now on video chat?" I sigh.

"Alright," I say, giving in.  
 _Shit, why the hell not._

Once we disconnect the audio call, my phone quickly chimes with the familiar sound that tells me that someone wants to engage in a video chat. I answer it and Rebecca's face immediately fills my screen.

She's lying down in a sea of pink and white with all kinds of furry, fluffy shit. Her long blond hair is swooped over to one bare shoulder.

 _Whoa, is she naked?_

"Where are you?" I ask, confused.  
 _That doesn't look like her room at the sorority house._

"I'm at my parents' home in San Diego," she says simply. And she's just laying there, _naked shoulders_ and all, talking to me via video while her folks are probably not very far away. Shit… _my folks_ could burst in here any minute. Then I quickly recall that _yes_ – I did in fact lock the door.

"Did you just get there?" I ask. I know that San Diego is about seven hours away from Stanford by car.

"No, I decided to catch a last minute flight today instead of waiting a week to return home. All of the girls were headed home after finals. And plus you're not there, so I said _what the hell. Might as well go home now_ ," she peps.

It just boggles my mind that she talks about me as if her and I are _a thing_. She knows damn well that she has a reputation around campus. Her lips and the dicks of _Stanford's finest on the football field_ go way back.

Seriously, one of the guys from the team that I tutor couldn't contain his laughter when he told me that Rebecca recently turned down blowing the quarterback because she is _dating me exclusively –_ so she says. Even _he_ didn't believe that line of bullshit. No one does.

"Rebecca, why are you calling me? I mean…what _is_ this?" I say with humor. "We've been screwing around for about a year. And just recently, a little friendly fellatio morphed into full out sex – which I have to admit, it's been great."

She looks at me intently as she patiently waits for all that I have to say.

"Look, we'd both be foolish to think that this is more than just sex between us," I finally submit to her. Her flirty pout transforms into what looks like _hurt_. It takes me by surprise.

"Teddy Bear, I told you that you were different. You're not like any other guy I know. I already told you that I don't want to be with anyone else _but_ you," she whines.

 _You've gotta be fucking kidding me.  
_ This conversation is a complete dumpster fire.

"Rebecca…you have _um_ …admirers – _tons of admirers_. When you tell people that we are together, they think it's a joke. They don't believe you. They know that _not one guy_ can keep your attention," I try and reason with her.

 _Why is this happening to me?_

"The only person I'm interested in convincing that I want more between us is _you_ ," she says with fire in her brown eyes. And suddenly I'm feeling even more uncomfortable than I ever did before.

"Look, Rebecca – you are very sweet and pretty. I thought you just wanted to have fun. Honestly, I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I've got _way too much_ going on these days. Any other guy would totally jump at the opportunity to sweep you off your feet," I try and reason with her.

"But I don't want anyone else. _I want_ …"

Fuck, is she crying?

"Rebecca," I say in a placating tone as I pull the camera phone closer to my face.

"You're all that I think about, Ted. I know we're going to be long distance at least until the fall, but we can make it work – _I know_ we can. Perhaps I can even take summer classes with you when you return to Stanford…"

"Rebecca," I call her name once more, hoping that she finally snaps out of her weird ass trance. _This chick is really out on the deep end._

" _Shhh_ …don't you say it. I don't want to hear it. Look, we'll take it slow. Let's just communicate on the phone every day. Maybe you'll grow to feel the same way about me. In the meantime, I'll wait for you to catch up with me. Alright?"

I want to ram my head right into a wall right now. I'm _so_ frustrated. Not one single word I'm saying is getting through to this girl. I don't want to be rude and hang up on her. I don't want to change my number because I have to eventually face her again on campus.

 _Dammit!_  
I have no idea what to do here.

"Rebecca," I try for the final time.

" _Shhh_. Don't you dare say another word, Teddy Bear. We're simply good friends now. Let's just go back to the beginning, and then we'll work our way back up to where I want us to be."

 _Jesus Christ._

I'm getting _major psycho vibes_ from this bird. Her _Glenn Close_ impersonation is on point. I begin to quietly hum the melody of a 35-year-old song made famous by the band Buckcherry.

And yes, she does indeed _'fuck so good'_ on top of her being completely nuts.

"How about I give you one last treat before we slow things down a bit." Her tears are all dried up now and the _sex kitten_ has returned in full force. Slowly, the camera on her begins to pan backwards, exposing more to me than just her shoulders.

Yep – and there are her tits…just… _there_. And there goes my cock awakening in my pj pants. _Dammit!_

"You remember touching me here early this morning? _Hmm_?" she moans as her free hands glide over each of her breasts. _Holy fuck._

"Yeah," I gasp.

"I know that we're just friends now…but this body belongs to only you, Teddy Grey. I promise, I won't let anyone else touch me. _Okay_?"

I am stunned stupid, unable to respond. I gape at the screen as her camera continues to crawl downward exposing smooth, bare skin. Skin that I instantly recall sliding all over on – and _in_. The panning doesn't stop until the screen reaches her naked vagina. My breath catches in my throat.

 _And if she were here right now, I'd…  
_ I stop myself before I enter the point of no return.

 _She's batty, Grey. Don't you dare fall for those big, soft tits and that tight, warm…_

"My body is all yours. You're the only guy that will ever see it from now on," she breathes.

 _Oh, fuck me._

What have I gotten myself into?

* * *

 ** _A/N: Up next, Ted quickly learns the ropes at Amazon and impresses his new team, especially one person in particular. In spite of this, he can't help but stare into the rearview mirror when he sees that his good friend Hanson is making quite the impression on his father at GEH. Later, the day that Ted has dreaded comes into fruition; he finally faces Sophie at UW._**

 ** _Meanwhile, Kate reveals to Ana that she's in a bind when her estranged husband tries to make amends._**

 ** _By the way, a couple of pins were recently added to the Family Business Pinterest corresponding to this chapter. You can check them out under username: "storietella"._**

 ** _Thanks so much for reading! – ST2_**


	9. Chapter 9 - Miss Independent

**Chapter 9 – Miss Independent**

 _Saturday, January 3, 2032_

 _Ted_

It's 2032.  
 _Out with the old, in with the new_ as they say.

It's getting easier for me to stick to this mantra in my thought life. In contrast however, things aren't going as smoothly for me in the outside world.

For one, Rebecca won't stop calling or texting me. For Christmas, she shipped me a box of homemade peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies. The package also contained an 8" x 10" glossy photograph of her draped in a festive apron – _featuring massive cleavage_ , happily posing holding a baking sheet full of cookies that she prepared _especially for me_. Luckily Mrs. Taylor delivered the package straight to me. It would've been quite awkward if my family mistakenly opened it and saw the note that came with it.

 ** _Merry Christmas, Teddy Bear!_**

 ** _I know you really love my cookies,  
but hopefully these ones will suffice  
until we meet again. _**

**_Love, Your Rebecca_**

She also planted a bright red kiss beside her signature. As far as the baked goods go, I had no desire to eat them. Apparently they were _superb,_ according to Hanson.

Honestly, I don't know what to do with this girl. Even from 850 miles away, she's been all over me like white on rice. I was hoping to leave her ass ( _although very nice one_ ) back in the year 2031.

In addition, a blast from the past threatens to wreak havoc on my new year: _My baseball pals from high school_. Excluding Hanson, the rest of these guys are a band of fucktards. I don't know who in the hell told them that I was back in town.

 _My vote's Hanson._

As easy as it is to just leave those jokers in 2031, I'm obviously way too bored on a Saturday night. My sisters are spending the night over at my parents' penthouse located near the Pike Street Market area, along with Aunt Kate and Sloan. Grandma Carla's catching up with old friends, and I have no idea what Mom and Dad have planned after their _Saturday-night dinner date_. My plan was to stay home alone and do some pre-work for my classes at UW, which start Monday after next. I was quite focused on the task.

That was until I got bored.  
And you know what they say about an _idle mind_.  
 _The devil's workshop and all that jazz…_

So as if on cue, my old baseball teammate Monty gives me a _ring-a-ding_ just after 9 o'clock.

"Sir Douchelord!"

I laugh. "Monty Carlo! What's up?"

Carlos Montague – _who's definitely no relation to Romeo_ , has been my friend since junior high. He's always been _Monty_ to those who know him well. But he's _Monty Carlo_ to the select few who make it into his inner circle – particularly those who played on our state championship-winning high school club.

Like me, Monty hung up the bat and glove once he finished high school. Today, he's halfway done with his two-year culinary arts program over at Seattle Central. Since I've known him, he's always wanted to be a chef. Even as kids he would often promise to _hit me up_ when he's ready to work as head chef at one of my parents' establishments.

"The fellas want to hang tonight and prowl for thotties."

" _Geez_ ," I sigh, rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, it's me, Dave, Mark and Ty. Imagine their delight when I told them that our _#1 babe magnet_ was back in town!"

"That motley crew sounds bad. I mean _really bad_ ," I chuckle, shaking my head.

"You're not _boo'd up_ these days, are you?" he taunts.

"Oh, _hell no_ ," I frown practically offended.

"Well then, go out and get laid… _and_ help your friends get some in the process!" he shouts boisterously.

"Look, I've taught you guys everything I know about picking up girls," I acquiesce.

"Dude – but when _we_ put it into practice, that shit just doesn't work the same."

I burst out laughing. "In all fairness, most of the girls that I attract are glorified gold diggers," I counter.

"No, I see the look in their eyes the moment you spit game to them. Birds have no idea who you are, yet they are immediately hypnotized and ready to fuck you."

I laugh even louder. "Seriously?! You're nuts. I'm not participating in your tomfoolery."

" _Come on, man_! You're probably not doing shit anyways but chilling in that huge ass castle by the sound!" _Monty does make a point._ He continues, attempting to sound mellow. "And I'm pretty sure you're sick of your folks by now. Why don't you come out and hang with us. Take a break from the fam for once. Bust one over some hot chick's massive tits."

Yep, my friends are lewd and immature. However, hot sex with a hot stranger sounds pretty fucking amazing right about now. I am bored out of my mind, so _anything's_ good.

And this is a new year after all.

 _I refuse to play the role of the lovesick puppy in 2032.  
The 'Old Ted' is no more._

Up to this point, I've been doing a decent job of erasing Sophie from my consciousness. Granted, it's been very difficult. For one, I'm presently staying in the house where we first met, so there are tons of memories here. On the flip side, I've been _way too busy_ with my family to dwell on the past.

"Man, are you coming or what? Shit's about to get crazy!" Monty hypes.

" _Alright, alright_ ," I concede. "Where are we going exactly?"

" _So_ …Dave wants to go to Genesis."

 _Oh, hell no. Genesis is absolutely out of the question.  
_ "Nope, I can't," I say firmly.

"Why the fuck not?"

"The 'rents, man. They're part owners."

" _What_?! Shit…what about Déjà vu?"

"Nope, they own that too."

"Fuck! Do the Grey's own every fucking joint in Seattle?!"

I laugh out loud, "Just about!"

"Okay…do they own _Wonderland_?"

"No, but our head of security has associates that moonlight as bouncers there who _definitely_ know me."

"So where in the hell can we go and not get caught with fake IDs?"

" _Umm_ …Cosmos?" I suggest. "I don't believe I know anyone there."

Monty sighs in relief. " _Finally_. Cosmos it is. Damn dude… _I swear_ ," he chuckles and I laugh right along with him. "I'll call the guys and tell them to meet us there. Hey, you think Larkin will want to tag along?"

"No fucking way," I snort. "You know damn well that Hanson's a choir boy."

"Yeah, Larkin's a bit uptight. I hope at least for his sake that your sister's giving him some."

" _Fuck_ , Monty!"

" _What?_ "

"That's my little sister you're talking about, man!"

"So what? _Phoebe Grey is bae_. Everyone wanted to smash that back in high school," he says matter-of-factly. I am thoroughly disgusted.

"Monty, _stop_. Stop it now."

" _Alright, alright_ ," he laughs. "I'll swing by your place in an hour since I don't trust you _not_ to flake on me."

" _Yeah, yeah_ …"

"Don't forget the fake ID."

" _Duh._ "

"And don't forget the rubbers, player. As Confucius once said: _It don't mean a thang unless you_ _ **bang-bang-bang**_ _._ Do you hear me?" he drills.

I howl, "You're a fucking nut, Monty Carlo – you know that?"

"Well, at least I hope to bust one of those tonight, son!" he crows.

"Not if you keep talking to the ladies like that, you creep. Settle your ass down," I sigh.

" _I'm cool…_ I'm cool, Grey. See you in an hour."

….

" _Dayyyyummm!_ " Monty bellows with his eyes nearly ejecting from his skull.  
He's mindlessly gawking at some doll seated at the bar. Unfortunately, it appears that our other pals have beaten him to the punch.

Cosmos is a massive nightclub. The bar itself practically takes up the entire parameter of the building, with the DJ booth and vast dance floor located dead center. Sitting across the way in a separate section of the bar, Ty and Mark spectate as Dave attempts to chat with the girl located in the section closest to the exit.

The dark-haired girl's mane is thick, wavy, and sways all the way down her back past her bra line. Her hair is so dark that it shimmers even in this dimly lit establishment. Her short red dress exposes two fit, firm, and smooth-looking tanned thighs that taunt the eye when she absentmindedly crosses her legs sideways. I can tell that she has a soft, beautiful face – but it's currently being overtaken by her blasé disposition.

Her body language reads: _Oh no, not this cocky, overly aggressive bullshit again._ And it makes me wonder why girls like her even go clubbing in the first place. _Douchebags_ as well as _shy awkward guys with some liquid courage in them_ are the status quo here. And if you're _really_ unlucky, you'll get a _drunk-douchebag_ hybrid trying his luck with you.

Dave had already lost the second he decided to go over there and speak to her in the first place. _That poor bastard._ I laugh to myself as Monty and I make our way over to where Mark and Ty are settled.

We all slap fives and pat each other on the backs. After shooting the shit for a while, Dave finally joins the fold with his tail in between his legs.

" _Fuck, man_ – I saw you striking out over there earlier," I chuckle over the booming bass.

"Dude, she's a piranha," Dave agonizes as he wipes his brow with the back of his hand.

"I told you!" Ty squawks in exoneration. "She's snobby and choosy as hell!"

"I believe the word you're looking for is _saditty_ ," Monty schools.

" _Sa-what_?! _Anyway_ , no guy here could ever satisfy that girl. I swear…women like her cling to their $400 vibrators and _don't need no man_ to take care of them," Ty mocks with a sassy head roll and a finger snap. We all laugh.

"I take it that she turned you down flat too, huh?" Monty says, twisting the knife. Ignoring Ty's defeated groan, Monty looks at the girl in question from across the way, practically drooling as he watches her work her phone. "That bird's _so_ _fucking hot_. She didn't come here alone, did she?"

"Nope. She came with friends," Mark says.

"Well fellas, her kryptonite has just arrived," announces Monty.  
We all laugh at him.

"Well, it most certainly ain't _you_ , asshole," ribs Dave.

"She will eat your dumb ass alive. I'd _pay_ to see that," Ty snorts.

"No. Not _me_. Grey," Monty clarifies.

 _Oh no-no-no-no-no._

Hell, I just got here and already they're throwing me to the wolves.  
I haven't even had a drink yet.

"I'll admit Grey, you are _El Play-ore Extraordinaire-roe_. But that female over there is un-penetrable," Ty declares.

"Bullshit. _All_ females are penetrable," counters Monty. The other three boneheads laugh at the lazy double-entendre.

I instantly regret my decision to go out. I should've gone with my gut and stayed the fuck at home.

"Not _this_ girl," Dave says, echoing Ty.

"My man Grey _got this_. I believe in him so much that I am willing to put my money where my mouth is," Monty challenges. Immediately, he pulls out his wallet.

"What the fuck are you doing, man?" I gape at him.

"Twenty bucks right here says that Grey will at least get her _real_ phone number." Monty flings the bill on the bar.

I repeatedly shake my head in perturbation.  
 _This is_ _ **not**_ _happening._

"So what if he goes home with her?" laughs Mark. I gape at him.

"One hundred bucks," Monty blurts out.  
The boys all laugh while I roll my eyes with annoyance.

"I'm not interested in your retarded-ass bet," I assert.

"T-money…you're doing all of the dirty work, so you don't need to contribute to the pot. If you succeed – _and I know you will_ , you and I will split the winnings. If you strike out, then the three of _them_ will split it," Monty proposes. I shake my head in refusal. "Grey, you have absolutely _nothing_ to lose here," he stresses.

"Well… _I'm_ in," Mark says, quite eager to take the challenge. He throws down his twenty on top of Monty's.

 _Once again…  
Why am I here?_

"Take your money back, guys. I am _not_ taking part in this," I quip.  
Both Monty and Mark jeer their disapproval, while Ty and Dave snicker with satisfaction.

"Grey – we're well aware of your _legendary player status_ back in high school. You'll definitely go down in history as _the guy that every hot girl wanted to bang_. But we're playing in the big leagues now. These are _women_ we're dealing with, not _girls_ ," Dave preaches.

I narrow my eyes at him in amusement.  
 _This asshole couldn't get laid if a naked chick was spread eagle on his twin-sized bed._

"I sense your apprehension, _Grey-theus_. Maybe you just don't _got it_ anymore…whatever _it_ was," Ty heaps on.

 _Fuck this.  
Watch and learn, kids._

I arise from my seat. "Cast your bets, bitches," I say, throwing down the gauntlet to Dave and Ty. "By the way, there's an ATM up front. You're going to need more than twenty."

" _Ohhhh shit!_ " shrills Mark.  
" _That's my motherfucker!_ " Monty vociferously proclaims.  
Ty and Dave laugh and wave me off like the _hater non-believers_ they are.

I make my way to the other side of the bar and don't look back.

….

I take the vacant seat right next to her as she appears to be still deeply engaged in her phone. I swivel my barstool in her direction.

After taking a more direct look at her picturesque profile, I'll admit that she's the most beautiful girl I've seen in this place – and there are quite a few ' _tens'_ in attendance tonight. She definitely surpasses them _by far_. She has this certain air of confidence that radiates from her, and I can tell right away that she doesn't suffer fools gladly.

I know her kind. I've seen the likes of her gracing the halls of Grey House, or treading the Stanford campus. Her type has no time or patience for _male macho bullshit_. A ' _hey baby_ ' won't even get you in the door with someone like her.

What she's looking for is someone who can make her think.  
She wants someone who can make her genuinely laugh.

I understand her because she's my mother…twenty years younger.

I take aim.  
I fire.

"Can you imagine a time where we didn't have portable mobile devices? No way to take selfies. No way to answer texts. No way to _laugh-out-loud_ at _dank-ass memes_ ," I muse.

She continues on with her phone, not once acknowledging my presence.

"Believe it or not, there was a time during our grandparents' day when they actually had to use a payphone. The idea of portable mobile technology wasn't even conceivable until around the 1990's. Today, we live in a time where we can't imagine living our lives without a mobile on our person. We can't even use the toilet without it anymore. Can you believe that?"

Still, she doesn't look my way.

"I for one would like to go back to the day when we just simply _turned-off_ and _unplugged_. Let's _finally_ enjoy the moment for once," I cogitate out loud. And once again, she doesn't pay me any mind whatsoever.

"I hope you're reading a lengthy joke and haven't quite reached the punch line yet. It would be rather tragic if you were wasting your time reading your phone at the bar and no laughter was involved. Now if that's the case, then I can point out to you some stiff old white guys doing what appears to be the Harlem Shake on the dance floor. Now _that's_ pretty hilarious."

Suddenly, she starts to laugh and her eyes finally peel off her phone and shift my way. I witness that her smoky eye shadow provides the canvas for a pair of gorgeous hazel eyes. I break away from her gaze and focus on the glass of ice sitting on the bar right in front of her.

"What are you drinking?" I ask. At my words, she guides her body forward and commences to ignore me again.

If there were a medal for the sport of _playing hard to get_ , she'd capture the gold every time.

"Let me guess," I say as I pick up her tumbler. She quickly shifts back in my direction with a displeased look on her face. I pay her irritation no mind as I float the glass around my nostrils and take a whiff.

"Hendrick's and tonic?" I guess.

She does a double take and gapes at me.  
"How did you know?"

 _The angel doeth speak._

"Have you ever drank it on the rocks with a cucumber?" I ask her.

"I hate cucumbers," she frowns.

I laugh, "You must try it with a Hendrick's, though. It'll completely change your life. _Trust me_." I then wave over the bartender. "Hey…can you get me a Hendrick's and tonic on the rocks with a cucumber please?"

"No problem," the bartender says as he places a square napkin in front of me.

I look over at the raven-haired beauty who now appears to be fighting back a smile.

"I'm serious. I _really_ want you to try this," I say adamantly. She frowns playfully. "What?" I beam at her.

"I told you, I don't like cucumbers."

"And yet you're sipping on a Hendrick's and tonic."

"Yeah, _so_?"

"Hendrick's uses rose petal and cucumber botanicals in the distilling process. For someone who hates cucumbers, you were certainly drinking the hell out of this," I laugh, pointing at her nearly empty glass.

"I didn't know about the cucumber in that," she chuckles.

"Yeah. So the cucumber slice quite simply does something beautiful to it," I say with a husky voice. Suddenly, her eyes turn into satin and her body leans slightly closer into mine. And I pray to God that they guys are witnessing this.

 _This is how it's done, fellas._

"You obviously know your stuff. So tell me…" she purrs.

" _Mmm hmm?_ " I mumble, leaning slightly towards her in order to hear her better.  
 _And turn her on._

"Are you even old enough to drink yet?" she says with a flirty smirk.

 _Fuck._  
She's got me there – but I refuse to let her see me sweat.

"Well I'm here, aren't I? Obviously I was old enough to get in," I counter.

"Yeah…well if _you_ are, that _band of idiots_ you rode in with certainly can't be over 21," she blasts.

Hell, she knows that those dipshits across the bar are with me.  
At this point, I don't have much left in the arsenal now that she's figured me out.  
 _I really hate to lose._

"I apologize. My friends can be a bit immature. I'm sure that the friends you came here with are much more civilized," I say smoothly. Her skepticism visibly melts away as she motions her head over to the dance floor.

There, I see two girls in very skimpy dresses dirty dancing with three rowdy frumpy frat boys. The girls appear to be sweaty and quite tipsy.

"My friends," she deadpans.  
I laugh.

"Well, your friends and my friends would get along just great," I surmise.

"Absolutely," she giggles.

The bartender places the drink in front of me and I quickly flick down a $20 and instruct him to keep the change. He thanks me before serving the next customer.

"So the moment of truth has arrived," I say as I lift the drink in my palm. She looks unwilling, but extends her hand out anyway. I pull the drink away from her reach and smirk at her.

"Now, are _you_ old enough to drink?" I tease her. She gives me a shy smile and blinks.

"Like you, _I'm here_ ," she sasses as she reaches for the glass. I pull it even further away and block her reach with my free hand.

"How old are you? And don't lie to me. I'm a human lie detector," I taunt. She flashes me the cutest grin.

"I'm _not-quite_ 21," she confesses. I smile in victory as I bring the drink back around and place it down on the napkin.

"What does that even mean … _not-quite 21_ '?" I question.

"My birthday is in March. I'll be 21 then," she comes clean. I smile at her.

"Well," I say pleasantly as I slide the glass towards her. She slowly lifts it to her lips and takes a sip. Once savoring the flavor, she practically glugs it.

"You like that?" I murmur, trying hard to disguise my triumph. She nods as she continues drinking.

"So, are you _not-quite 21_ as well?" she purrs.

I shine a telling grin. "Yeah, something like that."  
 _More like not-quite 19._

"Wow, I didn't think I'd like this," she exhales in disbelief.

"You're welcome." I turn in my chair and extend my hand out to her. "Ted," I say, finally introducing myself. Without hesitation, she takes my offered hand.

"Diana," she says softly. I tilt my head to the side.

"Just like Wonder Woman," I quip. She laughs. "I like your name. You look like a _Diana_ ," I ponder out lout. She blushes. "So where do you go to school, Miss Diana?" I ask in a silky tone.

"WSU Vancouver," she answers.

My lips perk out and I nod.  
 _My mother's alma mater. It figures._

"What's your major there?" I quiz.

"International Marketing."

I nod again, even more impressed. "Junior?" I guess.

"Yep. How about you?"

"Almost a senior," I say as I pull her earlier neglected swallow of _gin-sans-cucumber_ to my lips. I ingest the watery drink before taking an ice cube into my mouth.

" _You're_ a senior?" she gasps, startled.

" _Almost_. I'll be done with my program after the fall semester."

"Where?" she asks, flabbergasted.

"Stanford."

" _No shit_ ," she exhales. "So what brings you here to Seattle?"

"Well for _one_ – I'm from here. And _two_ – I'm working on my honors thesis," I say before chomping down on the dwindling piece of ice.

"You're working an internship?"

"Yes."

"A business major?"

"Economics."

"Impressive," she hums. "I'll be starting the second round of my internship as well. I'm looking forward to it."

"Well good. What do you like about it?" I say, attempting to make small talk.

She's quickly distracted when she spots the bartender from her side view.

"Yo!" she calls out. He turns to her and she points to the almost empty tumbler in her hand. "Two more, please. _With_ cucumber." The bartender nods before turning on his heel.

"This round's on me," she beams big. I chuckle.

I understand that the notion of women paying for men's drinks can be borderline emasculating. But something tells me that I wouldn't want to piss off _this woman_ by refusing her kind offer to pay.

 _I'll allow it this time._

"So, I asked you a question," I say, leaning towards her.

"Oh yeah. Well, I admire the spirit of teamwork where I'm at currently. I just love seeing brilliant minds working together," she answers.

"That's admirable. Do you see yourself as a leader in the business world, or do you see yourself in a strong supporting role?" I ask her.

"I'm not one who desires the limelight. I like to think of myself more as a _secret weapon_ ," she utters. But when she reflexively licks her lips, her words take on an entirely new meaning.

Well, that's what my dick just told me, anyway.

"What about you, Ted? Something tells me that there's not a _second-fiddle_ bone in your body," she says with a flirty smile. Our drinks come just in time and Diana pays the bartender using an app on her phone.

"Now why would you say that?" I say, mock appalled.

"I just can't envision you in any sort of _supporting role_. I wouldn't be surprised if I saw you on the cover of Forbes in the next five years," she beams. I grin as I casually smooth my stubbly chin with my hand.

"I'm not kidding," she says slightly an octave higher, gently tapping my shoulder for emphasis.

"I just find it funny that you would say that. The first day of my honors course last fall, we had to go around and tell everyone what we saw ourselves doing in five years," I tell her, humored.

"And you said that you were going to take over the world, didn't you?" she guesses with a knowing grin. I laugh hard. "I'm right, aren't I!" she howls. I'm almost too ashamed to even confirm her correct assumption.

"Tell me…who's your ideal business leader? Past or present," she challenges.

Well truthfully its my father – but I don't want to tell her that. My mother's right up there with him, but that answer's also out of the question.

"Steve Jobs," I spout off.

"Really?" she says, surprised. "Why?"

"A person that can take a company going nowhere and make it rise up from the ashes – to the point where its very name is now woven into the fabric of not only this country, but into global society in general – _that person_ is a force to be reckoned with. But I'd say that most of all, it was Job's ability to evoke passion in the people who worked for him. They _wanted_ to wake up every morning and go to work. They _wanted_ to be the first to create and innovate. It's unlike anything we've ever seen before, or _since_."

I take a glug of my gin and place the glass back down. When I look up, Diana is staring at me.

"Yeah, like I said. _Five years_ ," she grins.

We chat for a bit longer. I find out that she's originally from Missouri, but her family moved to the Washington area when she was in high school. She has one sibling – a younger sister whose Phoebe's age. When she asks about me, I try and remain as vague as possible. Being that she's lived in Seattle for seven years – _and_ she's an international marketing major, I have no doubt that she knows who my folks are.

Midway through our conversation, I think to myself how beautiful _and_ intelligent this girl is. And part of me doesn't fancy having a one-night stand with the likes of her. In my eyes, she's not _traditional_ _one-night stand material_.

No, this girl is definitely a keeper.  
Unfortunately, I'm not in the market to _keep_ anyone.

So imagine my surprise when she says to me: "Hey…my car's parked just outside. You wanna get outta here?"

On the inside, I'm stunned stupid. But I know my friends are probably still monitoring us nearby. Instead of going with my gut, I stand from the barstool and extend out my hand to help her out of her seat.

Placing my hand on the small of her back, we move together towards the exit. The club is filled with booming, ear-shattering bass…so I couldn't hear even if my name was being called. As I guide Diana onward, I turn towards where I last saw the guys.

With all eyes on me, my four former teammates are now hooting and hollering. Dave and Ty begin to enthusiastically toss more bills on the bar, and Monty happily collects some of it. Monty then hoists the cash in the air and victoriously waves it in my direction. I laugh, shaking my head before departing the club along with a beautiful Diana.

….

Diana doesn't live too far from where my mother and Aunt Kate shared an apartment downtown near the historical Pike Place Market. With a press of an app, she opens the door of her studio and flicks the light switch by the door.

As she closes the door behind us I take in my new surroundings. The first thing I notice right off is her bed located straight ahead and to the left. A long, white curtain is pulled back exposing a pristine made bed.

Adjacent from her bed is a small sitting area with very modest Ikea-inspired furniture facing in the direction of her television. I look to my direct left and see her tiny kitchen. She obviously lives here alone.

"Nice place," I say as I turn to face her.

"It's home...at least until the fall when I head back to Vancouver. My internship put me up here for the time being," she tells me.

"Very cool," I pay complement as I take one step closer to her. I suddenly notice her floral scent, which I hadn't realized its presence back at the bar or while in her car.

"So – have you had a chance to _really_ get to explore the area? Elliott Bay is a cool place for biking," I mention. My father used to jog there all the time when he lived in the Escala building.

" _Oh_?" she utters. But she doesn't really seem all that interested in what I'm saying as she rocks onto her tiptoes and begins to slide her lips across my neck.

Needless to say, this girl is ready for business.  
However, I still want to remain a gentleman.

"There's this awesome little French bistro near here that I've always enjoyed growing up. They have this lamb burger that's _to die for_ ," I murmur.

Suddenly, she grabs me by the chin and pulls me down towards her.

"Stop talking unless you're telling me naughty things," she demands.

 _Holy shit.  
Well yes, ma'am._

My lips engulf hers and we are kissing hard.

"Honestly, that lamb burger is so fucking good, that it's obscene," I groan. She giggles.

I begin to run my hands up and down her back and she threads her fingers through my hair while we kiss wildly. I carefully walk her backwards to her bed. I then remove my phone and wallet from my pockets and place them on top of her nightstand.

She steps back from me before proceeding to roll her tight red dress over her head. In the aftermath, she exposes a pair of sexy black lace panties down below, followed by her naked breasts up above.

 _Damn, that escalated quickly._

I unbutton my light blue dress shirt and remove it, followed by my t-shirt. She scoots up closer to the edge and reaches her palms towards me until they are gliding across my chest. As she reaches for my belt, I pull the two condoms from my front pocket.

I step back and finish the job of removing my shoes and jeans, as she lies down and inches towards the center of her bed, still wearing her black high heels. My pants join my shoes and shirt on the floor before I join her in the bed.

Diana is very beautiful, but it doesn't negate the fact that she's simply a one-night stand. Before she can grab and take hold of me, I flip her around to her stomach. She squeals in delight. My lips journey slow across her bare back for several minutes until they reach her panty line. I slide the garment down her thighs until they are over her shoes and completely off.

It's then when I prop her up by the waist and begin to clobber her sex with my tongue. She vocalizes her pleasure the whole way through. Not before long, I'm taking off my boxer briefs and rolling on a condom.

….

 _Sunday, January 4, 2032_

It's after 2:00 in the morning.

As I lay on my side after going through two condoms, behind me – Diana's naked body currently has me in a spider monkey's hold. All four of her limbs practically come around me full circle.

From this angle, I can't quite tell if she's asleep.

I also can't help but think that Diana would probably be my _ideal girl_. Beauty, brains, confidence, drive... _And_ she's stellar in bed.

 _I mean…she even does this thing when you're in her and her little love-pocket suddenly turns into a pulsating fist that violently jerks your cock. It's fucking unreal. She had me gibbering like an ape._

Yeah, some lucky bastard is really going to love his life the moment she decides to stride in it. I wished that bastard were _me_ , but I just have _way too much_ shit clouding me right now. She'd be better off with someone less _complicated_.

Sadly, no matter how much I try to purge my lingering thoughts, I still feel a _certain way_ about a certain blue-eyed, blond hair girl. And though she's made it perfectly clear that she no longer feels the same way about me ( _if she ever truly felt for me in the first fucking place_ ), my mind, heart, or _whatever-the-fuck-this-is_ can't undo my knee jerk reaction to losing her for good.

When my thoughts finally still for a beat, I realize that for the past fifteen minutes, my phone's been lighting-up Diana's nightstand. Finally, I reach for it.

 _Shit._

Rebecca.  
Rebecca again. _She's getting more and more ridiculous by the minute._  
Monty.  
Rebecca once more.  
Ty.  
Rebecca attempts to video chat. _I really need to block her._

Mom.

Dad.

 _Fuck me._

And those were just in missed calls.  
I haven't even read the missed texts. _There's about fifteen of those._  
I sigh in irritation.

I need to get out of here, pronto. Last thing I need is for my insane father to come bursting in here, making me look like a glorified adolescent in front of this independent, mature young woman that I _just_ had sex with.

"Whatever happened to wishing you were _turned-off_ and _unplugged_?" Diana croaks.

 _Apparently, she's not asleep._  
I twist around to face her while still in her hold.  
She looks exhausted, but in a _very_ good way.

"Is that your girlfriend?" she murmurs cautiously.

"No girlfriend, but I do need to head out. I _really_ had a nice time with you, Diana," I smile at her. She nods in response with a lazy grin of her own.

"Me too. Do you need a ride home?" she offers.

"No, thank you. I'll order a ride share. It's downtown Seattle, so it'll be here in no time."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's quite a distance away. About an hour from here," I tell her.

"Wow, that's quite the hike," she exhales.

"I know, but it's cool. I'm used to it." I roll out of bed and begin to get dressed. Meanwhile, Diana wraps herself in her duvet and watches me with a semblance of a smile. I don't think anything of it.

When I'm all dressed and my ride is approximately two minutes away, I lean down towards the bed and kiss her softly on her forehead. "Stay sweet, Miss Diana. It was absolutely a pleasure meeting you."

"Likewise, Mr. Ted," she answers. This time, her smile touches her eyes.

As I turn and walk towards the door, my phone makes a strange radar noise in my hand. On the screen, I see that someone in my immediate area named ' _Diana Fenkell'_ has just airdropped me her contact information. I smirk, accepting the drop before turning around to catch her secret smile. Normally I get the girl's number _before_ anything happens. This way, I know without a doubt that it was just as good for her as it was for me.

 _I'll probably never call or even see her again – but what a fun distraction she was._

As I lay in the back seat on the ride home, I fall in and out of consciousness.

….

 _Sunday, July 24, 2029  
(Flashback)_

It's not what some would consider a _typical day in Seattle_.

If anything, this moment mimics the beauty and vibrancy of a sunny afternoon in Southern California.

This meadow provides the perfect recipe where I can inhale the fresh scent of crisp green grass along with a cool misty breeze, courtesy of the sound. At first I hear nothing but the buzzing and chirping of _sweet, sweet_ serenity. And just when I think it couldn't get any better, I hear a sound even sweeter.

 _The sweetest._

"Teddy!"

My heart stutters from the sound of her voice beckoning me. It's always been a siren call to my soul. I rise up from sitting in the grass and turn in the direction of the melodic echo.

A blond, blue-eyed angel in an apt yellow summer dress beams brighter than the sun above her when she finally spots me in the field. She begins to run towards me, practically stumbling. I stifle a laugh, but it doesn't hinder her sheer determination. Frustrated by her lack of speed, she kicks off her sandals, leaving them behind as she resumes her journey towards me even faster than before.

 _This. Is. Home._

She and I have been running towards each other in this very meadow ever since I could walk. But lately, we've been running to each other for an entirely different reason.

 _We're in love._

When she finally gets to me, I open my arms wide and she falls on my neck. Breathing heavily, she litters me there with kisses. And I want to claim her delightful mouth _so bad_ , but I know that we have to be careful out here. No telling who could be watching us in this moment.

"Sophie," I gasp with relief… _and_ want… _and_ need. She pins her index finger to my lips to quiet me.

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." And I don't know why she felt the need to say it out loud. I have never envisaged her leaving me. She has always been there, so it only seems natural that she would continue to be here.

"I have a feeling your dad might suspect that there's something going on between us," she says quietly as she adjusts her posture. I take each of her hands into mine.

"Why do you say that?" I say with a puzzled frown.

"I don't know. I just have a hunch, is all. I don't feel the warmth here like I used to," she answers.

Honestly, I don't ever recall a moment seeing Dad acting any differently towards her. But in spite of it potentially being a case of misplaced paranoia, seeing that look of uncertainty on her lovely face does something to me. Right now, I don't want to do anything else _but_ protect this girl – even if it means being shunned by my own family.

"Look, I'm 16 now. I'll be graduating early from high school next year at the age of 17. Afterwards, I will enroll at UW with you," I tell her. However, the look on her face doesn't assure me that she's confident with this plan. She squeezes my hands.

"You know good and well that nothing but the _Ivy Leagues_ will ever be good enough for a mind as sharp as yours. Besides, you're destined for _great things_. You have a 4.8 GPA right now, for crying out loud. A _freaking_ 4.8 on a 4.0 scale. Who the hell gets that!" she chuckles.

"It's all due to AP classes," I smile.

"That's just it, Teddy. You're not even in college yet and you already have university credits on your transcript. You'll be even further along than I will by the time you get into college, and I would've had a three year head start over you," she says with a laugh.

"So when we're both done with college around the same time, we can _finally_ be together," I say with blessed assurance. She flashes me a look that's both _full_ and _lacking_ of confidence simultaneously. It pricks me.

"I hope you're right," she eventually says.

I wrap her in my arms and feather a kiss across her soft cheek. In an acceptable amount of time, we mutually pull away. Again, anyone could stumble out here and see us being intimate. Up to this point, she and I've been very careful at remaining secret lovers.

"You have the entire world at your fingertips…even _now_. The most popular girl in the entire school only wanted _you_ to take her to senior prom this year," Sophie recalls. And I can tell that she's still affected by what took place two months ago.

The most attractive girl in school had an unrelenting will to snag me. This _will_ eventually resulted in her showing up to my house unannounced. My father was even surprised when I'd eventually send her away in tears. As she was leaving the house distraught, Sophie was arriving to babysit my sisters. The sight of a girl in tears because of me practically spooked her.

Taking her hands once more, I swing Sophie's arms with mine. "Only _one girl_ has my heart, and I'm holding hands with her right now," I proclaim. She gives me that bashful smile that always makes me melt. "I could never be with another. You're the only girl I'll _ever_ give my heart to."

Sophie's eyes reflect like the clearest, bluest ocean. And something in me cries out to her, _begging her_ to feel the same as I do.

"I know what I feel in my heart," she says. Her expression seems to be conflicted. "But is it wrong?" she asks. I release hear hands and cup her face, looking deep into her eyes.

"No, it's not. Follow your heart, Sophie. I can't help _but_ follow mine."

She leans into me and I meet her in the middle for a secret kiss.

* * *

 _Sunday, January 4, 2032  
(The Present)_

 _Ana_

It's past 3:30 in the morning. My husband isn't in bed, and I think I know why.

I check my phone on the bedside table. _Nothing._ Both Christian and I have been texting Teddy ever since we got home from date night many hours ago.

Our son didn't so much as leave a note, text us, or anything of the sort to let us know where he was – _or_ inform us that he was safe. In fact, Christian was pretty close to leaving the house to find him himself. This of course wouldn't have been very difficult for him to do. My husband still uses his same tried and true stalker techniques ( _or some new variations of them_ ) since 2011.

After utilizing the master bathroom, I throw on a bathrobe over my nightgown before making my way out into the hallway. There's an uncomfortable charge radiating in my chest. It's a mixture of exhaustion and dread. I know with each passing hour, Christian is boiling over.

And like the cruelest of jokes, I hear a door swing open followed by footsteps once I arrive in the great room.

 _Great – just in time for a showdown._

I turn to see Christian surfacing from the other side of me, still in the dark jeans and blue buttoned-up shirt that he wore out to dinner. In walks Teddy who looks like a train just rammed him.

"Where the fuck were you?" Christian growls quietly.

 _Yep – this is exactly what I was expecting to happen._

Immediately, I partially step in front of Christian in order to buffer him. It's quite evident that he really wants to scream at the top of his lungs, but I know that his restraint is for the sake of my sleeping mother.

"Teddy, honey. We were worried sick," I say as calm as I possibly can.

"Sorry. I was out with Monty and the guys…"

Christian interrupts Ted's pending excuse. "It's _four fucking o'clock_ in the morning. Your mother and I called and texted you, yet you didn't have the _decency_ to tell us where you were." Christian isn't even _red_ at this point. More like _mauve_.

"Well, you obviously knew where I was. I'm pretty sure you tracked me," Ted says in a snarky tone. And even _I_ feel like bopping my beloved son one on the mouth, so I can guess how his father is feeling. I don't even bother to turn and witness Christian's rage. I keep my eyes on Teddy.

"While you're staying under _our goddamn roof_ , you will follow the same _fucking_ rules as your younger sisters. Do I make myself clear?" Christian says, his voice cracking in fury.

"So I have a curfew now?" Teddy scoffs.

"Since you apparently have difficulty with calling and texting people back, then the answer is _yes_. Your ass better be inside of these doors before midnight, or you can forget coming back here."

 _Oh no._

In Christian's defense, I do think that he's being fair. Teddy coming home in the wee hours of the morning and not calling to let us know that he's safe is simply irresponsible. But will Teddy ever see it that way? Will Teddy call his father's bluff and leave? I don't want the _worst-case scenario_ to occur.

Just a month ago I was on cloud nine – happy to have all of my children under one roof again, at least for the time being. Now, my peace of mind is in jeopardy.

Teddy closes his eyes and I can tell that he wants to say something else _really stupid_. He's very tired and not thinking straight right now.

"Don't try me, Ted. Unless you've forgotten that your scholarship at Stanford only covers tuition and books and _not_ room and board. In fact, I was considering finally getting you a comfortable apartment off campus for your final semester. You pretty much just _shitted_ all over that," Christian hisses.

Ted turns to the side away from his father and me. He's visibly frustrated.

" _Teddy_ …"I start.

"Sorry, Mom. _Dad_. I will call or text next time," he says, but there's no substance ringing from his words. It's as if he's saying them out of obligation and not out of true remorse. "I'm heading to bed now."

As Ted quietly makes his way out of the great room, I turn behind me and face my husband. I feel like I just exited a hurricane. But for sure, things could've gone much, _much_ worse.

"It took everything in me not to strangle him with my bare hands," he says through gritted teeth. I place my hands on his shoulders and start to knead them.

" _I know_ ," I murmur.

"He's the reason why my hair's so gray."

A smirk curls on my lips. "Um…excuse me, Mr. Grey, but I resent that remark. I thought _I_ was the one who caused your gray hair," I tease. His eyes narrow at me and he wraps his arms around my waist.

"Oh, don't be mistaken, Mrs. Grey. You are in fact the root cause of much of my affliction," he says as he plants a kiss at the corner of my mouth. "But you are also my remedy," he says, kissing me again. I chuckle. "You don't think I was too hard on him?"

His question floors me. He has _never_ questioned himself to me concerning the way he's dealt with our son.

"No, not really," I breathe.

"That boy has a _lot_ of growing up to do," Christian says with a clenched jaw. I wrap my arms around him as he slacks his hold on me.

"Teddy will be fine. He's a typical 18-year-old male," I argue.

"He's turning 19 next week, but he isn't _typical_. He'll have a degree from Stanford before the age of 20. He'd better grow the fuck up fast, or this world will squash him like a bug."

I gape at my husband. College degree or not, Teddy is _still_ a teenager. I don't want him growing up too fast. I felt like _I_ had to grow up quickly. I was already married with children not too older than what Teddy is today. I just want him to slow down and enjoy his youth before he blinks and totally miss the moment.

"You saw how he looked, right? He looked like shit coming in here at 4:00 in the morning. I have no doubt in my mind that he just came in from a night of drinking and fucking some random girl."

" _Christian_ ," I sigh, not wanting to even think of my baby boy having some sordid one-night stand.

"It was written all over his face, Ana. Not to mention his GPS location was parked in the same spot for _hours_ before coming home. He was obviously crashing someplace not too far from where his sisters are currently sleeping over," he says with disapproval. "He'd better not ruin his entire life by getting some girl that he just met pregnant."

Geez _,_ Christian sure is flying off the handle here. He knows well enough that we've educated all of our children on the importance of safe sex.

"That boy needs to get his fucking head on straight. That brief Amazon internship is only a bump in the road. His rightful place is at GEH. He knows that he's next in line once we retire," Christian declares. I pull back from him and he winces in un-expectance.

"But do we know if that's what Teddy _really_ wants?" I counter.

"He doesn't have a clue what he wants _or_ what's good for him. And if you recall, there was a time when you didn't have a clue about that for yourself, either," he says to me with a partial smirk. I frown disapprovingly at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I say affronted.

"Exactly what I just said. Tell me, Mrs. Grey – what was the career you told me that you always wanted? And _then_ tell me what you ended up doing."

 _Oh, no you didn't Grey.  
_ It's irritating that he looks so fucking pleased with himself right now.

"It was _my_ choice. And if _you_ can recall _Mr. Know-It-All_ , I was able to experience my dream job and work in publishing for a time. I had the chance to work in a career outside of GEH. At the end of the day, I ended up making the best decision _for_ _me_. You need to give our son the very same opportunity to discover himself."

I can tell that my argument does nothing to sway him. He's hell bent on Teddy taking over the business once we retire. _I just hope that our son doesn't grow to resent us._

A part of me wants to have a straight-up one-on-one conversation with my oldest to gauge where his head is. But again, this particular technique doesn't necessarily work well on _Grey Men_.

As far as his shifty attitude a short time ago, if there were something truly wrong with my son, I'd hope that he'd eventually open up to me about it. I also hope he knows that he can tell me anything and I won't judge him.

"I just don't want him fucking up his life. It's a good thing that he appears to no longer be infatuated with Sophie. She's been making a series of bad decisions lately," Christian says out of left field.

I gape at my husband. "What do you mean by that? What's going on with her?" I ask with much concern.

"She pretty much stopped speaking to Taylor and Gail altogether – hell bent on marrying some burnout," Christian hisses his disapproval.

 _Sophie? No, not sweet little blond-angel Sophie.  
_ I don't believe it.

"Are you serious?" I gasp.

"Taylor suspects that the main reason why they're in such a hurry to get married is because she's pregnant."

 _What!_ "Does Taylor only _suspect_ that she's pregnant?" I ask quietly, and I can feel myself shaking as I say the words.

"No, that part's been confirmed."

 _Oh my God.  
_ My eyes are gaping wide in absolute disbelief.

" _Wow…_ I am _beyond_ shocked," is all I can say.

 _I wonder if Teddy knows about this.  
Maybe that's what's eating him._

"So am I," he blinks, unable to speak any further.

….

 _Monday, January 5, 2032_

"Ana?" Lola calls out through the speakerphone.

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to give you a heads up that Kate _Mc_ …I mean Kavanagh wanted me to block out the next two hours on your calendar for an emergency conference with her."

 _Huh?_

I'm thrown for a loop, wondering why Kate's calling my assistant to schedule blocks of time in order to chat with me over the phone. Normally she just calls me.

"Sure. When she calls back, put her right through," I tell Lola.

Ten minutes later, there's a knock on my door.

"Come in!"

The door opens and in walks Kate.

 _Kate?_

I'm shocked to see my best friend in Seattle on a workday. She's wearing red heels, jeans, and a matching denim blazer over a white V-neck. Her blond hair is pulled back in a ponytail. Her expression looks dire. I instantly spring to my feet and meet her on the other side of my desk.

"Kate, what are you doing here? I thought you went back to Portland yesterday?" I ask, wrapping my arm around her shoulder and helping her down on the nearby sofa.

"I did. I got home yesterday," she murmurs lifelessly.

"Kate?" I murmur, wondering why she's behaving so strangely.  
 _Why is she here? What's going on?_

"You, Christian, and Elliot encouraged me to set things into motion. I have the news anchor interview lined up at KOMO this Friday. Your attorneys brilliantly put together an iron clad document and filled the appropriate paperwork…"

 _Oh boy, where is she going with this?_ So far, I'm only hearing positive things. But something tells me that the negative is going to be quite the bombshell.

"Elliot and I have grown stronger each day. I mean…he's _perfect_ – what else is there to say about him?"

" _I know_ …"

"And Sloan's been like the daughter that I never had. The life that I thought I lost years ago, I gained it back one hundred fold. I feel almost complete. All I needed was to land job in Seattle, sell the house in Portland before moving back here, and finalize the divorce. Then Elliot and I would be able to move forward together like we'd always hoped," she rambles.

"So, what's the problem?" I prod.

"Fucking Tom McCall is the problem," she hisses.

 _You've got to be kidding me._

" _Tom_?" I squeak.

"When I drove up to the house last night, he was _casually_ sitting there on my front steps," she fumes.

" _What!?_ "

"Yes. And when I say he had the biggest, saddest puppy dog eyes, _Ana. I mean_ …I _can't_ make this shit up."

I gape at her. "What do you mean by _'sad puppy dog eyes'_?"

"He _begged me_ to let him come into the house so we could talk. I was dog tired and wanted him to get the fuck out, so I told him that he could have _ten minutes_ to say whatever he needed to say. Asshole even carried my weekend bag from the trunk and into the house. He used to pay people to do that. He's _never_ lifted a finger for me before."

 _Seriously?  
Now tell me again why she married this creep in the first place?  
Oh yeah, she was heartbroken over Elliot. _

"So he sat me down at the kitchen table. He started off by saying that he _finally_ broke up with Kimmy the slut."

"Good for him," I roll my eyes, unimpressed.

" _Right_?! Then he goes on to say that he _only loves me_ and that he wants to prove to me – and I quote – _that he can be the man that I always needed him to be_. Now both you and I know that's a whole crock of shit!"

"Absofuckinglutely," I scowl.

"He appeared to be very sincere, but don't get it twisted. Thomas McCall is a _Grade-A sociopath_ , so he's very good with emotional manipulation and all that shit. The point is, I told him that I still wanted a divorce. I told him that Elliot and I got back together. Then all of a sudden, he makes it a point to tell me that he's not _giving up on us_ and that he _refuses to sign the divorce papers_."

"What!" I shriek. She ignores me and continues.

"It's as if Tom's acting like a sore fucking loser because someone else wants me and I want him back. So after I kindly asked him to _get the fuck out_ , he began pestering my parents, along with my brother and _Katie_ for crying out loud – _begging them_ to talk me into taking him back."

"Wait, is this some sort of sick joke that he's playing?" I seriously pose the question.

"I couldn't even fall asleep last night. So three hours ago, I simply jumped in my car and drove straight here. I've _never_ called in from work before. I really don't think I can handle this mess, Ana," she says, too distraught.

 _Oh no – not Kate.  
Kate never gives up.  
It's not in her DNA._

And although I'm rendered speechless at the moment, I'm glad that she keeps on talking. "I talked to Ethan on the way here. He wants to fly over from New York and kill Tom."

" _I_ want to kill Tom," I glare.

"We _all_ do," she echoes. "I'm sure he'll be calling _you_ next."

"Fuck him. And he'd better not even try Christian. He will eat Tom for breakfast."

"Oh, Tom knows not to fuck with Grey."

Suddenly, Kate's fire morphs back into something unsure. "Do you think Elliot will still want to be with me, even if my cheating husband refuses to divorce me?"

The sound of her voice practically breaks my heart.  
"Elliot's not going anywhere, Kate. Tom _won't_ win."

I instinctively spring up from the sofa, purposed to knock on my husband's adjoining office door.

"I'm pulling Christian in here. We're rounding up the big guns."

* * *

 _Ted_

Being at Amazon is quite surreal.

Three large glass globes positioned in front of a crystal-like tower highlights the mammoth state-of-the-art campus. For decades these spheres have been providing recycled energy to heat its interior. It's rather impressive really, being that I come from a family who are major proponents of clean technology. It's the way we Grey's live.

It's my first official workday here. After sitting through hours of _first-time intern_ orientation, I'm finally dismissed. I eventually make the trek from one building to another in order to convene with my team over in the vendor/supplier relations group.

When I get there, my boss Barry Issam and his assistant Sandy greets me immediately. They're standing just outside of a conference room.

"Ted, welcome! How was orientation?" Barry says with a kind grin.

"It was great," I respond.

"Glad to hear it. Hey, we were just gathering the team together for a quick status update on all of our major accounts. How about you sit in on it. I'll start out by reintroducing you to those whom you already met, as well as acquaint you with the newer faces."

"Sure thing," I spark.

I follow Barry and Sandy into the conference room. The room is quite packed, but I manage to locate an empty chair among the rather large round table. I take a seat. Several individuals nearby who remember me from last year greet me with a kind _hello_ , which I return likewise.

" _Everyone_ …" Barry starts, and the chatter stops. "...Joining us on the first day of his internship is Ted Grey. He'll be with the team at least until May. Please give him your warmest welcome."

The entire room applauds and I nod graciously.

"Hey, you wouldn't by chance be related to Christian Grey?" a guy calls out to me from across the room.

I've gone through the _are-you-related-to_ ordeal so many times before since I can remember. It's always been annoying as fuck. But today, I'm fair enough to understand that it's human nature to want to identify someone new with someone else you might be more familiar with.

"I am. Although my sisters and me kindly refer to him as _Dad_ ," I quip. The room buzzes with laughter.

"That's pretty cool," the guy responds.

"Have you interned at GEH previously?" a woman asks from the opposite end of the first guy.

I nod. "Absolutely. It's a rite of passage in our household," I say tongue in cheek. I'm met with even more laughs.

"So you obviously know a lot about what you'll be doing here. GEH is heavy on the _supplier relations_ front," the lady assesses.

"I have a solid foundation, but I am quite adaptive to _any_ culture. Although it's good that I have previous experience with a large global entity, I'm not foolish enough to think that my way is the best way. I'm here to learn from you good people, and hopefully contribute something positive to the team in the process."

I pan the room and witness approving smiles and nods all around.

"Very good, Ted. We're all so excited to have you with us," Barry says warmly.

As Barry leads into the first line on the agenda, my panning eyes halt directly on a dark-haired girl wearing a teal blouse. She is sitting diagonally from me, and she's obviously been studying me the entire time that I've been sitting here. My eyes lock with hers and she attempts to fight a grin. My brain immediately registers who she is because the running blood chills in my veins. But it takes a bit longer for me to accept what my eyes are seeing. It's because this individual is now in a different element than what I previously saw her in.

 _Fuck – out of all the joints in Seattle._

Why didn't it ever come up in conversation during our time together that _Diana Fenkell was a second-year intern at Amazon_? Hell, if I knew that we'd be working together, I probably wouldn't have had sex with her this past Saturday.

 _Twice._

* * *

 ** _A/N: Faithful Readers – I know that I owed you a fast forward here. Based on what's to come, the time hop is now planned for chapter 13._**

 ** _Also, there are the conundrums with Hanson and Sophie. Those events will take place in the next update. I'm on break from work for a week starting now (yay!) so I will shoot for early next week. If you like sneak peaks in the meantime, make sure you friend me on Facebook (storietella2). I've also made some updates to the Family Business Pinterest board._**

 ** _If you thought that this chapter was bombshell-littered, just you wait. Chapter 10 has many things in store – from Mia making a shocking appearance on television, to someone being paid a surprise visit. Well actually, TWO characters will get a surprise visit. See if you can guess who they are._** **: D**

 ** _Can't wait to share the next update with you! – ST2_**


	10. Chapter 10 - Birthday Sex

**Chapter 10 – Birthday Sex**

 _Monday, January 5, 2032_

 _Ted_

As the meeting disperses two hours later, I am no better off than I was two hours ago.

How do you even approach a recent colleague whom you originally intended on labeling as some obscure person from a sordid, distant past? You know, that moment years from now when you and a good friend reminisce about your _player past_ over beers and tally the number of girls you each had sex with up to that point. And when it gets to the moment when I recall the first Saturday night of 2032:

 _What's her name? It's been so long.  
Yeah…the girl who decided to take me home over you assholes…  
She was hot – standoffish at first, but ended up being really sweet.  
I wonder if she's married with kids now. If so, he's a lucky dude._

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I'd ever see Diana again, much less not _this soon_. But as I sat in that meeting for the most agonizing two hours in my life, I realized something.

My intentions can be one thing, but what really happens afterwards can knock _intent_ right on its ass.

Case in point: Never could I have imagined that Cheerleader Rebecca would be such a royal pain. When we first met at a party during my freshman year, we both were a little buzzed. Then I started flirting with her a bit, which is what I do with all girls who are alone within my proximity.

She laughed.  
We talked.  
She laughed some more.  
We kissed.  
She blew me.

As time went on, she would blow me _many_ times. I'd see her on campus from time to time and if she wasn't in class or blowing someone else, she'd blow me. That was all fine and dandy. I was still hell bent on Sophie and didn't think much of a harmless blowjob.

To me, it wasn't cheating.

I wasn't on the football team or in some fraternity – which were Rebecca's usual suspects. I simply figured that I wouldn't hold the attention of someone whose end goal was to score the quarterback. Also, the second I knew that Sophie was as sure as I was about _us_ being the end-goal, it would be a cinch to cut Rebecca off. Right?

But nowhere did I plan for the scenario where Sophie drops a nuclear bomb in between us. She didn't just burn the bridge; she obliterated it.

 _"I thought I had feelings for you.  
But now I understand that my feelings were all wrong."_

She then had the audacity to say that I was turning into my father before hanging up on me. I completely lost it at that point.

Later that day, Rebecca ran into me on campus and saw that I was fairly distraught. I don't fucking know what possessed me to tell her that my long time love just trampled my heart, but she was there – and she listened. She held me at certain points, and stroked my hair during others while she listened to me air out my frustrations.

That was the night I decided to have sex with her.  
And that was the night when Rebecca lost her goddamn mind.

 _"I wished I had someone who loved me like you loved her.  
Maybe one day, you can love me the same way."_

 _The fuck?_

I know I'm not her only prospect. Therefore, it's mindboggling that she is choosing to focus solely on me these days – even if she and I aren't even in the same state. Now, a small part of me is flattered to have such an effect on a girl like her. But realistically, I despise the idea of not meeting expectations… _period_.

Point blank – I am not going to be the guy that Rebecca hopes me to be _for her_. I've told her this almost daily, yet she refuses to believe me.

 _"You'll come around, Teddy Bear. You'll see.  
I'll be here until you do. I don't want you to miss a good thing."_

Recently, I developed this deep-seated fear of not answering her calls for an extended period of time. Like my dad, Rebecca frightens me in that sort of _unhinged_ kind of way. I'll only ignore her calls and texts for so long before throwing her a bone. I want her to keep her ass right there in California. I wouldn't want her constant threats of paying me a surprise visit to materialize.

So once more, I sit here with yet _another_ headache involving a female.

The positive side is that although I don't know much at all about Diana, she doesn't strike me as the _Cheerleader Rebecca_ type. Just like me, I'm quite certain that she doesn't want any drama coming her way. She probably just wants to finish her internship and go back to Vancouver in the fall without incident. If that is the case, then both she and I can get through these next few months _static free_.

As the meeting attendees make the slow exodus to lunch, one of the other male interns in the room taps me on the shoulder. He invites me to lunch along with a group of other interns. The lunch group eventually assembles out in the hall, and I soon see Diana joining the fold.

"Hello Ted. Welcome," she smiles kindly.

 _This exchange can end up being totally weird, or not._

I blink first before smirking at her. "Thank you."

"I'm Diana Fenkell. Nice to meet you."

I smile even bigger.

 _Yep, she's cool._

….

With the first day of my Amazon internship now in the books, I sling my leather carrier over the shoulder and across my chest. Just as I start to make my way towards the elevator, I hear a set of rapidly clacking heels behind me.

"Ted."

I turn around and see Diana. "Hey," I greet her.

"I have an hour and a half to kill before I'm scheduled to meet friends for dinner. If you're not in a hurry, would you like to grab a quick drink?" she asks. And there appears to be no pretenses wrapped in with her words.

"Sure," I say.

"There's a bar just up the street. Why don't we go there," she suggests.

After exiting the building, she and I begin the three-minute walk over to the bar.

"So how awkward was it to see me in that conference room earlier?" she says with an ironic smile.

"Very unexpected. We had a lot to talk about last Saturday, but it never occurred to me to ask where you were interning," I chuckle.

"I know. We knew about where each other went to school…what we majored in… tons of stuff. I know you have three sisters," she giggles.

"Right. I knew about your sister and where you grew up. But for some reason, the most important thing got left out," I say humorously.

"Actually, I found out just hours before you did that we'd be working together. While you were in your new intern training, I saw the intern roster sitting on Sandy's desk. The line that read: _Theodore 'Ted' Grey – Stanford University, California_ jumped right out at me. I thought it was probably a strange coincidence. I'm sure there's more than one _Ted_ at Stanford, I thought. _But no_ …it was you," she says amusingly.

"Yes, I was… _surprised_ to see you," I grin.

We eventually make it to our destination – a place called _Alibi_. Once inside, we take our seats directly at the bar.

"Hey there. What would you like?" the female bartender kindly asks us.

Diana looks over at me with a conspiratorial grin. I know exactly what she's thinking.

"Why not," I smile back at her.

"Can we get two Hendrick's and tonics with cucumber, please?" Diana asks.

"Sure, I'll just need to see your IDs."

In unison, Diana and I retrieve our fake IDs and hand them over to her. She then studies each of us along with the corresponding ID and hands them back before starting the drink order.

"So, I told you when my birthday was. When's yours?" Diana murmurs.

"A week from today," I answer.

"Wow, really?" she beams. I nod.

"22?" she asks. I shake my head.

"21," she guesses. I smile, shaking my head again.

"Not 23," she frowns in disbelief. I take my thumb and point it downward.

"20?" she winces. I laugh, shaking my head once more. She gapes at me.

"19?"

I smile and nod at her.

"You're only 18?" she murmurs. I smile wider in reply as the bartender places the drinks in front of us. Quickly, I throw down a few bills before she can leave and tell her to keep the change.

" _Hey_ ," Diana begins to rebut.

"No, you got it last time. It's my turn," I say with a wink. She flashes a shy smile as the bartender thanks me and ventures off.

"So, you're going on 19 and you're only a few classes away from getting your degree at Stanford?" she says, still unable to process the news.

I nod. "Accelerated program."

"I knew you were smart, but _man_. I was kind of wondering after you told everyone who your father was why you were interning at Amazon and not at GEH."

"Been there, done that," I say as I take a sip of my drink.

"You don't like working for your dad?"

"No, I did. It's just… It's good to have the _Grey name_ and all, but I sort of want to be my own man."

"I get that. But you know that GEH is slated to grow as big as Amazon in terms of revenue. You also have a much greater chance of landing CEO there," she argues.

"I know, but I would like to build my own thing from the ground up. My father started his company from scratch when he was 21. I'd like to have something of my very own."

"Understood," she beams.

"I have a question for you," I start, and she nods. "At what point is it appropriate to address the elephant in the room?" I finally ask. She gives me a puzzled look.

"About what happened late on Saturday?"

"Oh yeah… _that_ ," she grins shyly.

And my eyes are itching to take the journey from her heels and up her skirt, but I hold back, keeping my line of sight on her very attractive face.

"So, we'll be working together in the same department for at least four months," I preface.

"Yes," she nods.

"I don't want this to be weird."

"Neither do I."

"So can we both agree that what happened over the weekend can't happen again?" I put out there. Suddenly, her lips flatten and they turn up at the corners. She finally nods.

"Agreed. We're colleagues now. It's for the best," she says.

 _Fuck, I knew this girl was reasonable._

"Agreed," I echo.

Diana then extends her hand and we shake on it.

"I'm curious about something," she starts. "I promise, this will be the last time I ever bring this up. What's the deal with your friends?"

I laugh. "What do you mean?"

"Were they butt hurt that I took you home instead of them?"

"I'm sure they're over it by now. If not, they will be once they laugh at my expense upon finding out that we're now working together."

She giggles. "Seriously, what were they saying about me before you decided to come over and speak to me?"

"You want me to be honest?" I chuckle. She nods, beaming brighter.

"They pretty much thought that you came across as _too good for anybody_. Possibly a proud owner of a $400 battery operated boyfriend and no need for anyone with a penis."

She bursts out laughing. "Actually, I do own a $400 _BOB_." I crack up. "Funny enough, my best friends chipped in and bought it for me after I _finally_ broke up with my boyfriend three weeks ago."

I sober up, blinking at her. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. My friends were trying their best to get me out of my funk. They were the ones who dragged me to that club in the first place. I just didn't feel like being bothered. I was out of it."

"I'm sorry…"

" _No-no-no_ …I _needed_ that night, Ted. It was the first time I felt like I deserved better than the two years I had with Richard," Diana says sincerely. I'm rendered speechless.

"You were the first person that night who treated me like a human being and not a piece of fresh meat. I appreciated that," she says as she takes a drink.

"You were so easy to talk to. That is… _when_ you finally decided to talk to me," I grin.

"I'm glad you didn't let up. By the way…" she starts, inching over closer to me and lowering her voice even more so. "You may still be a teenager, but you don't screw like one."

My brows rise up to my hairline in utter shock.  
 _Jesus Christ.  
_ She's not making this _abstaining from your coworker_ thing any easier.

"How do I, then?" I ask.  
 _I'm morbidly curious. Sue me._

"One of your loves – she must've been much older than you. She probably showed you in bed everything that a woman likes. That was no _boy_ I was with Saturday night," she exhales.

The wrong nerve is immediately plucked. Suddenly, I swivel my barstool opposite of her. Now numb, I pick up my tumbler and swish it around so that the ice and the cucumber dance in the liquid. A lengthy bout of silence stretches between us, save for the background bar sounds and the clinking of ice against glass.

"Richard kept pulling me back in…but he was never really serious," she finally breaks.

"I would make all of these life plans for us, which he'd immediately agree to. Then during an argument, he would bring them up to the surface only to tell me how stupid they were to begin with."

 _Damn._

"After two years too long, I finally decided to end it before coming to Seattle. I changed my phone number and everything. I refuse to be pulled along on a string until something better comes along for him. That's pretty much what I saw happening."

 _Yep, she knows exactly how I feel._

"I was angry – at _him_ …at _all men_. Believe it or not, you were the first guy I've been intimate with in two years other than Richard. A one-night stand is not my usual forte."

Her news sends a jolt straight through me.

" _Sophie_. Her name's Sophie."  
The words just come spilling out of me.

Just saying her name out loud makes my chest want to cave in.  
I can hear Diana's stool sliding just an inch closer to mine.

"Did she break your heart?" she breathes. I nod.

I finally lift my head and capture her empathetic brown eyes, and I want to tell her everything.

"I saw her a few weeks before the start of the fall semester. I thought everything was fine between us. We had a solid plan in place once we finished college. I came back to Seattle six weeks after that to meet the team at Amazon. I was hoping to see her while I was here for the day. I reached out to her. That's when I found out she got engaged."

" _No way_ ," she gapes at me in disbelief. I nod. "That's _low_ ," she scowls. "How long were you together?"

"I loved her just about all my life, but we didn't get together until four years ago."

"Four years?" she gasps. I nod again.

"She was my everything," I say, stupefied. I finish off my drink.

"I'm sorry, Ted," she murmurs, rubbing my shoulder to comfort me. I shrug them both.

"What can I say? _All's fair_ …" I start, unable to complete the shitty old cliché.

"She's going to regret it. I know she will. You're a _good guy_ , Ted," she says adamantly.

I have nothing else to say. I only wished that this conversation never happened. Reliving it feels just as bad as it did the day when Sophie pretty much said to me that our love wasn't _really_ love.

"Look Ted, we _just_ shook on it. There won't be a repeat of last Saturday. From this moment on, we're strictly co-workers. But hey, who's to say that we can't become really good friends? Maybe we can be there for each other. You know – to talk some sense into the other if our respective ex tries to pop back into the picture," she nervously laughs.

"I think there's probably a greater chance of your ex wanting to reconcile than mine," I snort. "My ex is about to marry someone else."

"You never know, Ted. Who's to say that she won't wake up one day and realize that she really doesn't love this guy…that she truly loves you?"

I scoff. "I won't hold my breath. And even if she did, I could never trust her again."

"Look…from now on, this will be our thing after work – but only if we need it. _Happy hour at Alibi_ will be our equivalent of seeking the advice of a shrink. Not to mention it's _way cheaper_ and we can be more candid. Thanks in part to some _Hendrick's_ , of course. _Deal_?" she says wearing a genuine grin.

I chuckle. "So do we just send out an SOS whenever we need to have a _session_?"

"Yep…the moment you need to talk about Sophie, you need only to say _SOS_. No other explanation needed," she beams.

"The same goes for Richard," I return her smile. "So I take it that he fully lived up to his nickname, huh?" I add in jest.

"You don't even know the half of it," Diana grimaces.

* * *

 _Friday, May 31, 2030  
(Flashback)_

As I stand in the center of the pristine hotel lobby, I have no idea what I'm doing here. I just know that it's been a couple of weeks since I've last seen her beautiful face in person.

My eyes fall to the check-in counter, but I only see an older man occupied with a green screen terminal.

"Teddy?"

Her sweet voice startles me and I quickly turn around. Standing before me, the love of my life has glowing blond hair pulled back into a black elastic band. She's wearing a uniform that consists of a black skirt and a matching blazer over a white blouse. Her feet are shod with very comfortable-looking and durable polished black shoes that I'm sure I've seen my grandmother wear back when she still worked at the hospital. On her lapel is a gold-plated Marriott name badge etched with _Sophie Taylor_ along with _Seattle, WA_ underneath it – all in black font.

No matter what she's in, she will always be the most beautiful thing I have ever seen – even as she currently wears a baffled expression on her face.

"You _can't_ be here," she whispers in haste as her eyes frantically pan the area.

"I needed to see you," I say with urgency.

Sophie's eyes cautiously survey the area once more before she hooks me by the elbow and leads me off to a much more discrete area of the lobby.

"You're skipping class again. We got caught two weeks ago because you did that," she puffs.

" _I know_ , I know…I fucked it all up. I should've had my eyes on that front entrance. It never occurred to me that my mother would come home so early that day. I got way too relaxed," I sigh, shaking my head at such a bonehead move.

Sophie and I were able to remain discrete for almost two years. Then I became too cocky. When my mother caught us necking in the theater room two weeks ago, I was startled but not alarmed. I just knew that Mom had my back. It wasn't until she broke to me gently about my father having to be told that I finally got my wakeup call.

 _That's when my world went to complete shit._

"You _think_ our dads aren't having us followed now?" she snaps rhetorically.

"Oh, I know they are," I snort. "I have our ground covered this time. It can't happen again," I guarantee.

"You're right, it _can't_. In fact, I'm no longer allowed to see Dad and Gail on the property anymore," she says wistfully.

" _What!"_ I practically gag out. She shushes me as her eyes comb our surroundings for the umpteenth time.

"Yes, they thought it would be _for the best_ ," she says regretfully.

"It's all my fault. The twins have a new sitter now. They _hate_ her," I hiss. "They miss you. _I_ miss you. I _love_ you."

I attempt to close the space in between us, but she immediately steps away.

"Teddy, not here. I'm at work," she says with a tinge of regret. I shake myself back into reality.

"Where can we talk in private?" I plead.

"You need to go to school," she says, resolute.

"I told you, I have it covered. I'm way ahead in my next two classes, so I have solid coverage. My cell phone is with a classmate," I tell her.

"What about your…"

"I didn't drive my car here. I borrowed Monty's busted up Honda," I snort. A semblance of a smile dusts across her face, but I can tell that she's still very much conflicted.

"Well, you'd better hurry back or he'll go drifting in the school parking lot with your Audi," she smirks.

Her light-hearted jab doesn't feel sincere because of the uneasiness venting from her pores. I just want to wrap her up in my arms and tell her that everything's going to be okay. That nothing or no one will ever have the power to tear us apart.

"Like I said, I'm covered. I know that you're off the clock right now. I wanted to catch you before you left. We need to talk. We need to make sure that no matter what happens, we stick to the plan."

Sophie's eyes blink rapidly as if she's trying to hold back tears.

" _Baby_ …"

Suddenly, it appears as if something clicks in her mind. "Hold on. Stay here," she instructs as she walks away from me and towards the counter.

The gentleman gives Sophie a kind look and nods as she is speaking to him. Soon, he reaches down and hands her what looks like a key before Sophie turns on her heel and heads back towards me.

Forty-five minutes later…I am holding her tight against me, as we lay naked underneath the sheets. We're both sated after our lovemaking. I kiss her soundly.

 _This is what I came here for.  
To reconnect with her.  
To reaffirm what we have. _

" _Angel_ ," I exhale.

" _Panda_ ," she giggles. I snort at her razz.

"You didn't answer my question from earlier."

"What question?"

"Are we sticking with the plan? You'll move to Chicago in the summer of 2032 and start working at Hyatt HQ. Then I'll follow behind you in December," I remind her.

"You think you'll be finished with your degree by then? That's only 2 ½ years from now. It's going to take me almost five years to complete mine since I'll be working here at the same time."

"I know. I already have a significant amount of credits now on my transcript. I'll attend courses year round. I estimate that six classes a term will get me there."

"Holy shit, Ted. That's _a lot_."

"Not for me it isn't. I've always managed my time well. I'm early to hand in assignments. I've always gone the extra mile. Hell, I'll even volunteer my tutoring services with each of my professors for some of their more problematic students for kudos points. They love that shit."

She giggles. "Well, you seem to have things all figured out. You're way more grown up than I am."

"We know our roles in this relationship. You're the looks…I'm the brains." She laughs and playfully swats me on the chest. "I want you doing what you've always dreamt of doing, _and_ I want to be in your life while you're doing it," I add. She gently sweeps her soft hand across my chin.

"My life would be absolutely perfect: The perfect career. The perfect guy," she coos as she pecks my lips.

"And the only thing I care about is your happiness. I want to take care of you," I breathe, returning with a peck of my own.

"You do?" she murmurs. I nod.

She continues. "I want to take care of you too, Teddy. No matter what…I will _always_ love you and protect you."

I kiss her like there's no tomorrow.

* * *

 _Monday, January 5, 2032  
(The Present)_

 _She fucking lied to me._

As I switch off the car's ignition inside of the garage at home, I feel emotionally spent.

For two days, my dreams and my waking thoughts have been littered with Sophie. It's become unbearable. _And to think, I will have many opportunities to run into her starting next week as I roam the campus of UW._ The thought alone makes me retch.

Part of me wants to just rip off the bandage quickly and get this potential awkward reunion with Sophie over with. But I have no idea how I will feel or even react if I were to see her holding hands with her so-called fiancé.

 _I still can't believe that she left me for him._

Do I believe that Sophie ever loved me in the first place? Something deep down inside tells me that even she could never be so cruel to fake something for four years. My gut tells me that she simply no longer felt like fighting for us anymore.

It became too much for her – fighting _her_ dad, fighting _my_ dad.

Sophie understood more than anyone how complicated my life was. I hate to sound like a whiny little bitch, but being the son of two people who operate a multi-billion dollar empire ain't all that it's cracked up to be. Part of me feels a little like Phoebe did when she ranted about not being able to date Hanson once upon a time.

 _"I almost want a regular, working class family. At least they would let me date."_

But in all honesty, I don't think my folks particularly care about me dating, per se. They're more concerned with _who_ I'm dating. For them, me dating Sophie was just _plain ol' weird_. Sophie practically grew up with my sisters and I.

However, my mother has always adored Sophie. Deep down, I feel that if I were to take off to be with Sophie, Mom wouldn't even bat an eye. It's my father who has a problem with _everyfuckingthing_ I do outside of his _perfectly_ set boundaries. He's hell bent on me being shaped into his image.

 _Christian Grey would never date the help's daughter or a longtime friend of the family. Christian Grey would never be with an older woman._

Fortunately for _Daddy_ , he needn't worry about Sophie any longer.  
She has officially severed us beyond repair.

* * *

Saturday, January 10, 2032

 _Ana_

" _Damn, Bunny_ ," he chuckles with exhaustion.

I laugh under my breath. In the darkness of the pre-dawn early morning, I turn slightly in bed to face my husband's silhouette. I can see the deep rise and fall of his chest. Yet, I casually strike up a conversation as if we didn't just have very hot, rough sex.

"Hey, are the plans for the Japanese facility completed yet?"

And even with me being able to only make out shadows in our dark bedroom, I can still tell that my husband is rather dumbfounded by my instant mood shift.

"Ros asked yesterday evening," I add.

"Shit, _I guess_ ," he sighs, still catching his breath.

I giggle. "Is it finally getting to be a little too much for you, old man?" I tease.

"Uh… _no_. It's just…." he stalls, at a loss for words. I use the opportunity to change the topic the topic yet again.

"You think Teddy might want to spend next summer in Japan to help me make sure that things are running smoothly there? Maybe I can bring the girls along, too. You can stay home and keep the ship afloat – so to speak," I propose.

"No way. I can't have you spending an entire summer away from me, Mrs. Grey. Although I don't think it's entirely a bad idea if we send Ted. He'll be all done with his degree then. He can be our eyes and ears," Christian counters.

"That's if he wants to work with us," I stipulate.

"What do you mean ' _if'_. As _if_ he has a choice," he retorts.

" _Christian_ ," I scold. "We will _not_ force our son to work at GEH after college. It has to be _his decision_ and his alone."

"I figured that _you_ of all people would be confident enough in our son to make the wisest choice. He knows that GEH is his birthright. His destiny," he says as he smoothes his hand across my hair. He then moans a sweet kiss at the corner of my mouth.

"What if he wants to make a name for himself?" I argue.

"Then it would only be to spite us. We've given that boy too damn much for him to just turn around and spit in our faces."

"It wouldn't be like that, Christian. Him dreaming to do something other than _running GEH_ wouldn't be out of spite. And who's to say that Phoebe or one of the twins wouldn't be more willing to take over when the time comes?" I counter.

"Or maybe even our next child?" he says in a humorous tone. I snort.

"What are you talking about, Mr. Grey? This baby shop is closed, thanks to perimenopause," I quip.

Although as of late, I haven't been experiencing those pesky hot flashes. However, a different symptom has now taken its place.

"Are you certain about that, Mrs. Grey?" he hums.

I arch a brow at him. "Yes. My doctor says so. Mom, my grandmother…they all went through early menopause," I remind him.

"Well, I thought lack of sexual appetite was also a symptom early menopause. Looks to me that there's no _lack_ in sight," he purrs. I smirk at him.

"It's been the same," I squeak in my defense.

"Bullshit. I wouldn't be surprised if you were pregnant right now," he counters.

"What! You're over exaggerating. My sex drive is normal. Why would you even say that?" I gape at him.

"Well…not that I'm complaining, but you've been vise-gripping my dick for the past ten minutes," he says poignantly.

 _Shit._

I gasp at the delayed realization and immediately let go of him.

" _I_ …I didn't realize," I say, blushing.

"I know you didn't," he chuckles. "And for the past few nights you haven't let me sleep."

 _Hell, I have been keeping him up at night.  
I've also been waking him up.  
That's not like me._

He's right. My sex drive has been through the roof lately.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to keep you up all night," I whisper. I can tell that he knows good and well that I'm completely full of it. He quickly rolls his naked body on top of mine once more.

"You're wild, Bunny – but you haven't been _this wild_ since you were carrying the twins," he teases before planting a bevy of kisses on my neck.

"Stop messing with me, Christian. I'm _not_ pregnant. I'm… _hormonal_ ," I pout.

….

Kate and Sloan later stop by for dinner while Elliot's stuck working late at Grey Construction headquarters. After we're absolutely stuffed, the teen girls are eager to stream the last episode of their favorite summer dance competition program. Christian retreats to his study, Teddy ventures over to the game room, while we girls head over to the theater room.

Inside, Beth cranks the popcorn machine while Phoebe gets the flavored slushes going. Although we're still quite full from dinner, there's something about the smell of hot buttered popcorn in the theater.

It's a must.

I help Phoebe and Beth serve everyone as the program begins streaming over the big screen. There are laughs, shouts and applauses for each of the girls' favorite contestants, making it easy to get wrapped up in what's going on.

Finally, I settle down in the front row along with my popcorn and cup of cherry flavored slush as the other girls occupy the rows behind me.

"Mom, sit back here!" I hear Brie call out.

"I'm fine here," I assure her. Brie has more than enough company with her twin, Kate and Sloan all in her row. Besides, I quite enjoy having an entire row to myself. Phoebe has the same advantage, sitting in the row between the others and me.

A while later, Christian joins in and takes the empty seat to my right. He greets me with a kiss on the cheek before glancing at the screen.

"Is that the dancer Bethany keeps ogling over," he smirks. I smile and nod.

"If Toby's ever eliminated…" I start.

"Inconceivable. She'll utilize robo-voting before letting that happen," he retorts.

"Exactly," I chuckle.

"He's a cutie!" I hear one of the girls shout. Christian rolls his eyes and I laugh, rubbing my hand against his lap. He digs into my bucket and grips a handful of my popcorn. I playfully frown in response.

The show suddenly switches for a commercial break and queues up to air an advertisement.

"I thought we paid for the premium streaming service?" Christian frowns. I shrug my shoulders. "I'll have Andrea check on that. I'm pretty sure of it," he adds.

 **Narrator: "This summer, meet** ** _The Real Mistresses of Hollywood._** **"**

" _Oh no_ ," I sigh, nauseated. I'm sick of the never-ending cluster of reality shows featuring talentless, money hungry attention whores who only thrive in drama.

" _Oh yes_! They've expanded the series from New York!" Phoebe exclaims.

Christian turns to face Phoebe in the row behind us as the preview plays on, spotlighting one provocatively dressed _mistress_ after the other.

"You actually _watch_ this garbage?" he frowns at his daughter in extreme disapproval.

"It's trash TV at its finest, Dad," she beams.

" _Oh my God_ – is that Aunt Mia?" I hear one of the twins say. I turn and witness Beth standing up and pointing to the screen with a dropped jaw. I quickly swing back around and focus on the screen.

 _Holy shit.  
It's Mia, with…Lily?_

"It is!" Kate pipes up.

"She's going at it with Sloan's mom!" Phoebe calls out in a gasp.

 _Holy fucking shit!_

My sister-in-law Mia Nielson who looks like royalty draped a beautiful gray glittery gown appears to be at some sort of Hollywood soiree. Hovering just a few feet behind her in the background is her handsome, yet concerned husband – acting legend Clark Nielson.

Standing toe to toe with Mia is Elliot's ex-wife and Sloan's mother, Lily. Wearing what appears to be a very expensive shimmery blue dress, I _really hate_ to admit how stunning she looks.

Lily's expression reads that she truly wants to make amends, but Mia appears to be having _none of it_.

 **Mia: "I have absolutely nothing to say to you."**

 **Lily: "Look, I'm sorry how things ended between your brother and me…"**

 **Mia: "I don't want to hear it, Lily. You're obviously not THAT sorry.  
You're still living here in LA"**

 **Lily: "Mia, just like you, I belong here."**

 **Mia: (scoffs angrily)**

 **Lily: "I'm very happy in LA. I** ** _never_** **belonged in Seattle."**

 **Mia: "You are unbelievable, you know that! You are a miserable, selfish bitch! You destroyed my family and you ruined Marshall's marriage!"**

 _Oh no._

I gape at the big screen, frozen stiff as the title card for the new series flashes on the screen, announcing the premier for July. I only blink when I catch Sloan storming out of the theater room. Before I can react, Kate runs out behind her.

Christian puts his hand on my shoulder, silently telling me to let Kate handle it.  
 _I feel so sick to my stomach._

The man that Lily left Sloan and Elliot for was also married with a family of his own. Hot Hollywood leading actor Marshall Henning was a very good friend of Clark's. They grew up together in the same neighborhood in Iowa. Their friendship was as iconic as _Affleck-and-Damon's._

Then Lily Grey happened.

Lily doesn't deserve Sloan _or_ Elliot. That woman only cares about fortune and fame. That's the only reason why she's doing this trashy reality show. If she _ever_ cared about her daughter, she wouldn't be airing out her dirty laundry for the entire world to see. She's an embarrassing meme in the making.

I'm surprised that Mia didn't warn the family in advance. I reckon that she was too upset to even bring it up to us. It also appears that Lily and her camera crew ambushed her in that scene. Lily absolutely knew that confronting her former good friend _and_ former sister-in-law on camera would be ratings gold.

 _Lily is a joke and a sad excuse for a human being._

Thank goodness Kate was here when that train wreck unfolded on screen. I'm sure she will help Sloan pick up the pieces. And the sooner that Christian's _dream team_ can help Kate put the _Tom saga_ behind her, the better. Then my best friend can move back to Seattle, and she, Elliot, and Sloan can move forward with their lives.

* * *

 _Ted_

 _Sunday, January 11, 2032_

When you live alone in a dorm room for most of the year, you're never really _totally_ alone. You still have the background noise of the other residents to contend with. However, there's still the concept of personal space. There's still a certain protective radius where one can _self-reflect_.

But when you inhabit a large compound with tons of wide-open space along with family, you don't have the same freedom. For example, your little sisters are constantly under you. Your mom's nagging; making sure you ate something for lunch earlier that day. Then there's your dad checking in for no apparent reason at all.

 _Perhaps he just wants to make sure that you haven't snuck out of the house without telling anyone._

Dinnertime isn't for another hour, yet I could go for one of those _yummy_ salted caramel cupcakes that Brie baked on Friday night. I stand from my bedroom desk and leave the pre-reading for tomorrow's class idle on my laptop screen.

On the way, I see Hanson and Phoebe sitting side by side in the great room sharing a secret laugh. Part of me is envious of the two.

 _They are free to whisper and cuddle here.  
They can roam the Grey household as a happy little couple. _

I shake off the nauseating feeling.

"Yo, Ted!" Hanson calls out as he rises and heads over to meet me.

"Larkin," I greet as the two of us slap hands and bring each other into a partial hug.

"Mom says dinner's almost ready," Phoebe calls out as she walks over to join us.

"Oh, good. I was just on my way to grab another cupcake," I tell her.

"You can save it for dessert. Let's head over to the dining room now," she suggests.

When we arrive, I see that the rolls, salad, and glasses of water are already spread out. Starving, I pull the nearest plate from one of the place settings and fill it with Caesar salad, along with a buttered roll. Hanson follows suit and sits in the chair right beside me.

"I'll be back. I'm going to see if Mom needs help," Phoebe says before heading to the kitchen.

" _Crazy Dave_ told me what happened last weekend when you jokers hung out," Hanson chuckles discretely.

"Man, those idiots," I sigh, rolling my eyes.

"Seriously. They claimed you left the club with the girl. Is she still in the picture?" he says in jest. I know it's _in jest_ , because my answer surprises him.

"Yes."

"Seriously?" he gapes.

"Well, not like you think. Come to find out, she's interning over at Amazon with me. In the same department, no less."

"Holy shit."

"Yeah, I know. But we're good. Strictly friends."

"That's cool. How's Amazon coming along?" he asks.

"Fantastic. I'm learning tons about their corporate culture and how they do things there. It's a very laid back, very creative atmosphere."

"Sounds just like GEH," Hanson interjects.

"Exactly," I nod.

"Dude, I'm telling you. My internship at GEH is like the best thing ever," he beams brighter than the sun. I wince at him.

Footsteps suddenly pull us out of our conversation.  
In walks my father.

"Gentlemen…don't let me interrupt you," he greets.

"Not a problem, Mr. Grey. I was just telling Ted about interning at GEH," Hanson reveals.

My father takes his seat at the head of the table, which is separated from me by one seat.

"I've already been hearing great things from your managers about you," Dad smiles at my sister's boyfriend.

 _Really?  
Already?_

"Thank you, Sir. I talked to my immediate supervisor about how I think the regular forecasting data pull process can be improved on. The way its currently being handled is a bit counterproductive. The present method taints the data set," Hanson says.

I frown perplexed. "I worked in that very same department last summer," I start.

"I know," Hanson nods in agreement.

"When I interned there, I was able to parse the data just fine. It's complicated but it can be done. All that's needed is a slight front-end fix. There's nothing wrong with the actual data set," I argue.

"The meta data is convoluted. There are tons of redundancies. I'm actually in the process of putting together a change proposal document," Hanson reveals.

 _What?!_

Please don't tell me they are giving this kid carte blanche over there and he doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about.

 _He_ _ **just**_ _started working there!_

I refute him. "I think that's a complete waste…"

"That's fantastic, Hanson," my father starts, cutting me off. "Why don't you get in touch with my personal assistant, Andrea tomorrow and set up a meeting with me in a week or so to go over your proposal," Dad says, looking past me and focusing solely on Hanson.

 _He can't be fucking serious._

I told my father how wrong everyone was who'd made the very same claims about the data as Hanson. Dad even agreed with me at the time. He also had me put together a work instruction document and list out some of these concerns in _FAQ_ format.

" _Ab_ …absolutely, Mr. Grey," Hanson sputters.

He looks more than pleased with himself, and it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes until they bleed.

….

"What's the deal with Larkin?" I say, jumping directly to the point of my abrupt visit.

An hour after after her boyfriend leaves, I sit on the edge of my sister's bed. In reading glasses, she looks up from her book and at me.

"He's already trying to make major moves, even as a _two-day-a-week_ intern," I chuckle.

My little sis closes her novel and slides her readers from her face.

"Hanson loves working at GEH," she says point blank.

"Obviously," I respond in a _no-brainer_ tone.

"So much so that he wants to quit the baseball team," she adds.

 _Whoa._

I gape at her. "Really?"

She nods. "He's finally declared a major: _Business_. He wants to focus on that and on working at GEH."

"But what about his athletic scholarship?" I ask, still in shock.

"I have a feeling that GEH will pick up his tuition and expenses moving forward," she says matter-of-factly.

 _Holy shit. This has got to be a joke.  
But this also has my dad's name written all over it._

"Hanson _loves_ baseball. He lives and breathes it," I argue.

"Well, so did you. But even you passed on the athletic scholarship. In fact, you didn't need it. That baseball scholarship was the only way Hanson could get all of his tuition covered," my sister says. I frown at her.

"It's not like he's _poor_. His folks run a chain of pharmacies, for Christ sake. They can afford to pay for his tuition. Hell, they paid for him to go to private school along with us," I snort.

"His parents are in big time debt, Teddy. They live way beyond their means. If they're faced with covering Hanson's tuition right now, they wouldn't be able to swing it," Phoebe said soberly.

The revelation hits me hard.

 _I didn't know that my old friend had such a financial dilemma._

Suddenly, I feel like a jackass.

….

 _Monday, January 12, 2032_

It's a brand new workweek at Amazon. The difference this time around is that my routine will be altered starting this evening due to it being _day #1_ of class at UW.

 _Happy Birthday to me._

I pleaded with my family about _not_ making a big deal out of my 19th birthday. As far as I'm concerned, it's just another day. However, we will partake in a little late dessert when I get home tonight.

 _I will never turn down dessert, especially if my mother, Mrs. Taylor, or one of my sisters makes it. Sophie was also a master baker._

I quickly dismiss the heart aching thought. It would be just my shitty luck if I ran into her tonight on campus, of all days.

After a very productive day at work, I exit the building. I have two hours to burn before class. Diana unfortunately couldn't join me for a special birthday happy hour drink this time. Turns out, her younger sister had a _SOS_ of her own. She just broke up with her boyfriend for the fourth time.

As I head towards the parking lot, I hear a familiar voice squeak my name.

Fuck.  
Me.

The voice is completely out of place, but I instantly know who it is. I slowly turn and find a surprisingly modestly dressed Rebecca approaching me. She's wearing blue jeans and a long pink cashmere coat.

Once we're standing toe-to-toe, she hands me an envelope – which I'm assuming has a card inside of it. Dumbfounded, I take it.

"Happy Birthday, Teddy Bear!" she cries out before pouncing with outstretched arms and falling onto my neck.

 _How in the fuck did she know it was my birthday?_

"Geez… _uh_ …thanks Rebecca. _Wha_ …what are you doing here?" I stutter.

"I wanted to see you. I'm only here for today."

 _She flew out here just to see me for the day?_

" _Wow_ …well, I mean…" I'm utterly speechless.

"Did you have plans with your family? If so, do you mind if I tagged along for a bit? I'd love to meet your parents and your little sisters," she sparkles.

This girl has completely lost her damned mind.

"Actually, _no_. I start classes at UW in a couple of hours. You know… _accelerated program_."

"Oh shit…that's right! Gosh, I'm sorry. I should've known."

"Aren't you supposed to be in class at Stanford today?"

"Yeah, but I sent my professors a note. I told them I had to go home for an _emergency_ ," she winks with exaggeration.

This girl lied just so that she could fly here and see me. And although I'm mostly appalled and terrified, I'm a shred flattered.

"Look Rebecca, I'm so sorry. I only have like two hours before class starts," I say with faux remorse.

"I wanted to give you both parts of your present. The first is in your hand. And for the second part, all I need is an hour of your time, Teddy Bear," she purrs as she pushes her body against mine.

So Rebecca flew all the way here from California to give me some booty, huh?  
Well… _I mean_ …who'd ever turn down a little friendly birthday sex?  
Especially if the girl can suck _and_ ride a cock like this one can.

"Did you drive here from the airport?" I ask.

"No, an Uber dropped me off. I've been waiting out here for about an hour. It's really nice out here," she beams, admiring the state of the art architecture of Amazon's headquarters.

"Yeah, I know. Look, I have an idea. Let's hang out over at the Fairmont Olympic for a few."

"What's that?" she frowns.

"It's a 5-star hotel here in Seattle. But I can only stick around for about _an hour and thirty_ ," I tell her.

"Okay," she gleams. "So does that mean we're getting a room?" She's looking way too excited at the prospect.

"Sure, why not," I say with a reserved grin.  
It _is_ my birthday after all.

Of course the room will have to be registered under her name.

* * *

 _Ana_

I convince Christian to let me take one of the executive pool cars home while Taylor stays behind and waits for him to finish up a late meeting. I need to get home as soon as possible to help Gail with Ted's birthday dinner. Fortunately she completed the red velvet cupcakes earlier in the day. They're Ted's absolute favorite.

Thank goodness my overly protective husband relented on letting me drive. I swear…I don't know when was the last time I drove anywhere on my own. Part of me fears the silly notion that if I don't use my driving muscles for long periods of time, they will eventually atrophy.

I'll also appreciate the alone time on the road, especially after such a traumatic weekend. On top of seeing my sister-in-law along with _our former sister-in-law_ on the big screen, I also haven't been able to get Christian's words out of my head.

 _"You're wild – but you haven't been  
this wild since you were pregnant with the twins."_

Now he has me paranoid.

I passed on wine with dinner last night, even though I am fairly certain that there's no way in hell that I'm pregnant. My cycle has been just as erratic _off birth control_ as it's been _on it_.

As an extra precaution, I've even tried to encourage my husband to use condoms. Each time I mention it, he brushes it off as nonsense.

 _"We've been married for nearly twenty years.  
I'm not fucking using a condom.  
I'll simply pull out, Bunny."_

 _Yeah right, Grey._

I know that my chances of getting pregnant in my condition are about slim to none, but I still can't help but feel a bit anxious.

When I finally exit the freeway, I make a quick stop at the grocery store for a few things before heading home. I greet Mrs. Taylor in the kitchen and she immediately takes the bags away from me along with my coat. I promise her my swift return after I change out of my work clothes. She tells me to take my time.

By some miracle, I manage to get to my room without being intercepted by any of the girls. Once inside, I quickly lock the door behind me. Grabbing what I need from my purse, I journey onward towards the master bath.

I rip open the box.

 _Yeah, I know the drill.  
I've done this myself at least two other times before.  
I'm just hoping that the outcome dissolves my fear._

I do my business, wash my hands…and _wait_.

* * *

 _Ted_

I barely make it on the very first night of class, but I arrive just in the nick of time.

Holy shit – if I didn't know better, I would've assumed that Rebecca was _literally_ trying to break my dick off. She rode me like a wildebeest. I am almost prepared to say that her gift today might have been the best surprise birthday present I'd ever received.

But still, it's nerve-wracking knowing that Rebecca is under the impression that she can just hop on a plane and insert herself into my life. I don't want her making this a nasty habit. And I really don't want Dad or Mr. Taylor catching me messing around with her.

 _Christian Grey would absolutely lose his shit._

The first night of class ends smoothly. We're done in just an hour and a half. As I head out of Dempsey Hall and towards the commuter student parking lot, I run into a few familiar faces, mostly from high school.

"What are you doing here, Grey? I thought you were going to Stanford," says one blast from the past.

"I'm here taking two classes during my semester internship while working on my thesis."

"Here at Foster School of Business?" I nod. "I'm there as well. Business major?"

"Econ."

"What classes are you taking here?"

"Just electives. Business Strategy and Operations Management."

The individual gapes at me. " _Dude_ , those are MBA-level courses."

"Yep."

"Fuck, man."

We exchange information and promise to keep in touch before I continue the trek towards my car. As I finally see it in the distance, I hear yet someone else summoning me. This time, it evokes a different emotion within.

When realization finally hits, my stomach bottoms out.

 _Not today, Satan.  
I'm not ready for this. _

Just when I thought that I had my feelings all under control, everything that I pushed down has buoyed back up to the surface. It's the shittiest feeling.

As I pop the door locks and throw my bag into the back seat, I hear footsteps getting closer.

"Teddy…hey."

I shut the back door and turn on my heel to face the source of the sound. My heart nearly stops beating and the breath gets caught in my throat.

 _It's Sophie_ – and she's as beautiful as ever.

….

 ** _A/N: Up Next – Ted experiences heartbreak all over again after a quick chat with Sophie. The next day, he sends out an 'SOS' to Diana. Something crazy happens afterwards that throws them both for a loop._**

 ** _Meanwhile, Ana's results take her by surprise. These days, it's the notion of letting her teenagers in on it that she's more terrified of. Luckily, she doesn't have to face the wolves alone, haha!_**

 ** _Later, Ted realizes something about his father after hearing about what efforts he's taking to help Hanson accomplish his goals._**

 ** _Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	11. Chapter 11 - Stronger

**Chapter 11 – Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You Makes You)**

 _Monday, January 12, 2032  
(Continued)_

 _Ted_

Here I stand, practically frozen in time.

I knew that seeing her on campus at some point was a given, but I wasn't prepared for it to take place so soon. I should've known that if anything uncomfortable could happen to me today, it absolutely would.

 _First Cheerleader Rebecca, and now this._

" _You_ …" she starts, apparently alarmed by my hesitancy to speak.

"Hi." There's no bitterness lingering in my single-syllabled response. In fact, I'm essentially robotic. Perhaps my automatic response system kicked in once my normal coping mechanism checked out. _Hopefully it reboots soon._

"Welcome to UW. You look really good," she says in a very casual tone.

"I'm only here for the semester," I say in a hurry. The swirling in my stomach tells me that this was probably an inadequate response. _Perhaps a simple 'Thank you' would've sufficed._

"Yes, I know," she replies. "Did first day of class go well?"

I don't know what's going through her head at the moment. You'd think the simpler task would be to figure out what's going on in mine, but I can't seem to even gather my own thoughts. To kill some awkward time, I decide to take one good look at her. I regret it in an instant.

Wearing an unzipped studded leather jacket, practically her entire right leg is exposed through the slit of her ankle-length, baggy pea-green dress. On the ground stands two beige suede high-heeled boots. Her gorgeous blond hair is tucked behind her ears.

Snapping back into reality, my brows are raised. I am just… _mind-boggled_ that she can carry on such a casual conversation after our last exchange when she hung up the phone on me.

"It went okay. _Um_ …this is your final semester here, right?" I say awkwardly.

"Yes, thank God. I'm _so_ looking forward to being done. You're pretty close yourself, aren't you?" she says with a weak smile. I nod.

"I'm shooting for December."

Yeah Sophie, I'm still sticking to _the plan_.  
Even though you have plans of your own these days.

"That means you'll be attending classes in the summer, right?"

"Back at Stanford," I say plainly.

I lean with my palm against the roof of my car as we stand in uncomfortable silence.

"Look, I won't keep you," she says as she glances at her watch. Suddenly, her eyes open wide. " _Shit_ …it's your birthday…"

I didn't expect for her to even care.  
 _Hell, I don't care._

"Yeah, _it's no big_ …"

Before I can complete the sentence, she approaches me for a hug. Surprised by the gesture, I hesitantly fumble my arms around her just before she lets go of me. I quickly release my hold and she steps back. It doesn't happen soon enough because the familiar sweet scent of her hair has the opportunity to linger right into my nostrils.

"Happy birthday. I'm sure you have to head home for the festivities. I know how your mom can be. She absolutely _lives_ for her kids' birthdays," she nervously chuckles as she smooths out the invisible wrinkles in both her jacket and dress.

"Yeah," I sigh. I finally pull open up the driver's door of my car.

"Take care. I guess I'll see you around," she exhales.

I nod. " _Yeah_ …you too, Soph," I respond as I climb inside, but not before noticing the decently sized diamond reflecting the street lamp on her left ring finger. The pit of my stomach bottoms out.

 _She used to be mine._

Closing the door, I watch her walk away. There's a glimmer in me that hopes she at least turns around and sees me one last time. But alas, she doesn't. I crank the ignition. Once she disappears in between the two buildings straight ahead, my forehead meets the steering wheel and lightly taps against it five times.

 _I fucking hate myself for still loving her._

* * *

 _Saturday, October 20, 2012  
(Flashback)_

 _Ana_

I lie in our bed staring at the ceiling in a sea of fluffy pillows in the middle of the afternoon.

 _I am bored out of my ever-lovin' mind._

I want to go outside and take in the fresh fall air, but my husband freaks out at my slightest movement. Even at seven months pregnant, he fears that I will suddenly break.

A few moments later, he finally resurfaces with his iPad in hand. Wearing jeans and a t-shirt, he climbs in with me from his side of the bed. Sparky tramples in not too far behind and makes himself right at home in his doggy bed positioned in the corner. It's just one of many doggy beds located throughout the enormous home that we moved into this year. The very same house where our wedding took place just outside. And come January, it will be where our first child will come home to after leaving the hospital.

"Christian, its Saturday. I'm tired of lying around and doing _nothing_. I want to do something," I whine. I rub my hands over my protruding belly. The baby appears to be relaxed at the moment. I'm anything _but_.

"I've been doing tons of research on the upcoming birth of our son. We need to make certain to maintain a stress-free environment for you _and_ the baby," he says, ignoring my plight. He places his closest hand over my belly. "I am going to do everything in my power to protect the both of you," he unwaveringly vows.

"You've been going _way_ above and beyond. I mean, you won't even let me lift a finger," I giggle.

"I've also instructed Ros to handle your workload until after the baby's born," he announces. I gape at him.

"Christian – why would you do that? I had everything all under control," I say, flabbergasted.

" _A stress-free environment_ , Mrs. Grey. I don't want anything out of the ordinary to happen while you're pregnant."

"You taking work away from me isn't helping the cause. It's upsetting," I snap.

He places the iPad on the bedside table before scooting in closer to me. He plants soft kisses on my cheek while caressing my pregnant belly through my lounging maxi dress.

"I didn't mean to upset you, baby. I just want you and our child to be happy and healthy," he pleads.

"I know you do. You've been wonderful," I sigh. He stops kissing me and lays down on his side, keeping his eyes on me.

" _I_ …" he starts. The look on his face is forlorn. I smooth his cheek with my palm in encouragement.

"I was an asshole to you the moment that you told me you were pregnant," he says with a shadow of torment in his eyes. I take my other hand and cup his face.

"You were scared. You didn't believe that you deserved to be a father, but you do," I breathe in affirmation. He takes one of my hands by the wrist and kisses it.

"I will never behave that way again. I'll welcome any outcome that our love produces from here on out," he promises with passion-riddled gray eyes. It completely melts my heart.

"I'm glad to hear that," I murmur with a shy smile. He leans over and kisses me softly on lips.

"Now, I just have to stop reading online articles about traumatic child births," he says, unnerved.

"Christian, you need to put down the WebMD. Everything's going to be fine," I coo.

"How do you know that?" he snaps, changing moods yet again.

 _Oh geez, Grey._

"I've been going in for my regular checkups. Dr. Greene says that everything looks fine. Things are leading up to a nice, natural birth," I say in an encouraging tone.

"I really think you should have a C-section. I've read too many bad things that can happen during delivery the longer a mother waits," he counters.

"No," I say posthaste. "I am aiming for a natural birth. Everything's going to be fine. You'll see."

"Whatever you say, Mrs. Grey," he says, ignoring my encouragement. He props himself back up on his side and kisses me longer. Suddenly his hands have a mind of their own as they smooth up my legs until they are lifting my dress up above my belly. He then moves until he is straddling my ankles.

"Let's go somewhere. I don't feel like staying in again today," I whisper.

Just before he's about to kiss my thighs, he looks up at me.

"You want to leave now?" he says with a smirk. The smug man knows good and well that I can never reject his sensual advances.

"No. Finish doing _that_ , then we can go," I grin.

"As you wish, Mrs. Grey. Although _this task_ will require at least an hour or so of your time," he winks.

"I'll manage, Mr. Grey," I hum just before getting lost in him.

….

 _Monday, January 12, 2032  
(The Present)_

Like many other times prior, I lay in bed with my eyes glued to the ceiling.

Earlier, we had Teddy's birthday dinner… _without_ Teddy. Mrs. Taylor made certain to set aside a nice helping of his favorite – bowtie pasta with grilled chicken and sundried tomatoes (in which he usually tops off with an insane heap of freshly grated parmesan cheese). Once Teddy got home from class at UW, he was able to blow out the candle on his birthday cupcake after the rest of us sang _Happy Birthday_.

I couldn't help but notice that my dear son appeared to be _not himself_ today, although he insisted that both work and class went well. It later dawned on me that he could've possibly encountered Sophie while on campus. I resolve to speak to him about it tomorrow sometime. Today just wasn't a good day all around to dive into that.

If Teddy is still hung up on Sophie, perhaps discovering her pregnancy did him in.

 _Was she even showing?_  
My stomach flutters at the thought.  
Well, if _that's_ news, then I have another humdinger for him.

Just before I can wallow in my anxiety, in strolls Christian.

"Baby, you're still awake?" he murmurs as he climbs into bed. I hum my response in the affirmative as I turn on my side. He then spoons behind me before pulling aside my hair to kiss the nape of my neck.

"Ted seemed distracted. He wasn't his usual _joking_ self with his sisters tonight," Christian reflects out loud. While in his hold, I twist my body around to face him.

I want to bring up the notion of Sophie as a possible reason for Teddy's distant behavior. Instead, my own pressing issue practically summersaults from my belly and spews out of my mouth.

"I'm pregnant," I breathe.

I even shock myself at how the words just come tumbling out.  
It's mindboggling because I've been pregnant three other times before.  
 _I should be a pro at this._

His expression gives nothing away.

"I took a home pregnancy test today. The results were as clear as day," I murmur.

Suddenly, his mouth curls up into a slow smirk. If I'm reading him correctly, the asshole almost looks to be quite pleased with himself. Is he glad that he assumed correctly the other night? _Or_ …

"I'm a steed, baby. A stallion. Your eggs simply can't resist my virility," he boasts.

And all this time, I thought that I was infertile.  
 _My doctor is such a liar.  
Dr. Greene would've never misdiagnosed this.  
I wish she'd never retired._

I laugh. "Well, I guess not."

He rolls me onto my back before climbing on top of me. Beaming from ear to ear, he looks down at me. I'm so amused at his giddy expression that it immediately eases the tension in the room.

"I'm 42 and you're 48 going on 49. We already have four children ages 13 to 19. You don't find this odd?" I say to him with an arched brow.

"Nope. We fuck a lot, Bunny. I'm just surprised that we don't have more than that," he beams.

I roll my eyes at him and he narrows _his_ in response. "It's been a while since I've changed diapers. It'll be strange starting all over again," I sigh.

"You're the perfect mother. It's always been second nature for you," he says softly as he resumes kissing me on my neck. "I'm looking forward to you being even more insatiable than you already are. Right around the seven-month mark, you'll insist that my dick remain in you at all times," he growls. I gasp and slap him on his back, rolling my eyes once more.

"That's twice now. Don't think I won't spank you the next time you roll your eyes at me," he warns. I smirk but immediately take heed. _I know that he's not joking._

"I'm kind of freaking out about how the kids will take the news," I admit.

"They'll be fine. The twins are going to be fighting over their new baby sister or brother," he utters against my shoulder.

"Hell, what if it's twins again? And I'm more worried about how Teddy and Phoebe will react. They're at the age where they might feel _really weird_ about this," I utter. Christian gently stretches the neckline of my gown to expose even more skin at the base of my neck.

"They'll get over it. And if it's another set of twins, we'll manage," he exhales while dusting hungry little kisses across my shoulder blades. And as if realization suddenly hits that he can see even more of my skin, he craftily eases up my nightgown at the hem.

"Christian," I sigh his name in a laugh.

" _Shhh_ ," he vocalizes, tugging the silky article all the way off. I am now naked from head to toe.

I've learned after twenty-plus years of going to bed with an extremely sexual man not to waste a clean pair of panties after a shower, only for them to come right off. In haste, Christian yanks off his shirt and then slides off his PJ pants along with his boxer briefs. I laugh even louder.

"What is your deal? Why the rush?" I say breathily.

"The moment you uttered the words ' _I'm pregnant_ ', my dick was instantly rock hard," he rasps right before rolling on top of me.

Short of twenty years ago, I'd never thought I'd hear my husband say anything of the sort. It's as if with each child that we bring forth together, his heart expands just a little bit more. Christian simply adores being a dad.

And may I say – he's also the most dynamic husband?  
 _Ana Grey, you are such a lucky broad._

"Oh my… _Grey_ , what am I going to do with you," I giggle.

"You're going to lie there and take this dick like the champ that you are," he says with a growl.

I begin bellowing so hard that my stomach nearly aches. He ignores my mirth and remains focused, attacking my neck with his mouth.

"You're such a freak," I moan before his lips rise to take mine captive.

" _Your_ freak," he whispers in between kissing me.

* * *

 _Ted_

My eyes spring wide open in consternation. I immediately reach for my phone on the bedside table.

 _Fuck, it's only 11:39._

Hell, I can't even sleep until the next day without enduring these invasive dreams that combine real memories along with a future that'll never exist between Sophie and me.

 _Why is she weighing so heavy on my psyche right now?_

Yeah, I'd dream and think about her from time to time. But lately, it's been a constant occurrence. I don't know what I need to get through my thick skull or my sub-consciousness in order to finally drive home that _Sophie and me will never be_.

I _know_ the facts.  
Sophie is engaged.  
Sophie has moved on without me.  
Sophie has betrayed all of the love that I've carried for her for all of these years.

Still, it's been nearly three months and reality should finally be sinking in. But in my mind, reality hasn't even absorbed past the first layer.

 _What do I need to do in order to scour this woman from my thoughts?_

Desperation practically has me down on both knees begging for mercy.

 _I can't continue living like this. Perhaps I should solicit the solid advice of someone who has gone through something similar. There has got to be a way out of this madness._

With my brain running 100 miles an hour, I'm certain that I have zero chances of falling back to sleep right away. Defeated, I slide on my slippers and quietly journey over to the game room in an attempt to blast away this shitty insomnia.

….

 _Tuesday, January 13, 2032_

Diana enters the office approximately ten minutes after I do. As she cordially beams in my direction, I quickly mouth out _'SOS'_. She winces in surprise before mouthing back ' _Lunch?_ ' I nod in agreement and she nods back in confirmation before gracefully gliding in very high heels to her desk.

Moments later, I hear another set of feet approaching but this walk doesn't sound as graceful. I look up to see my manager Barry Issam approaching.

" _Ted_ , good morning," he calls cheerfully.

"Good morning, Barry," I reply.

Once he reaches my workstation, he leans up against the desk. I roll my chair closer to him.

"I got word from Gil that he was able to negotiate lower prices with two of his key vendors. He then proceeded to tell me that it was _you_ who in fact spearheaded the effort," he discretely tells me.

"It wasn't a big deal. I was able to pull up take rates from when those suppliers' products were available at a discount. I simply had to prove that it would be more advantageous for them to come down on price in order to increase in sales," I say plainly.

"These two accounts in particular were hard-ass. These vendors had a mentality that we're just another Walmart trying to lower their prices down to nothing. I'm glad they finally realized that's not what we're here for," Barry expresses in relief.

"Exactly. I've learned that when you try and talk down a partner, you first must open up with _what's in it for them_."

" _Brilliant_ , Ted. I'm amazed that you are just a college intern. You function like a long-time veteran. I would like to involve you in our regular meetings with our top ten suppliers. Normally these meetings are reserved for senior management, but we're willing to make an exception with you. Not to mention, you'll have killer material for your honors thesis," he beams.

 _Hell yes._

A rush of accomplishment floods me. It's invigorating.  
 _Maybe this is exactly what I need to drown every waking thought about Sophie.  
Yes, I need to bury myself in work.  
I also have two graduate-level courses to keep me busy. _

There should be no room remaining for me to mope over what _was_.  
 _Over what will never be._

At lunch hour, Diana and I make the trek outside of work's campus over to Alibi – our watering hole of choice. However, we dare not to get caught drinking during business hours. We rely on iced tea and water instead.

"That's awesome news, Ted," Diana gushes over my recent inclusion in the high-profile supplier meetings.

"Yeah, I was floored when Barry told me," I exhale, still stunned hours later at the news.

"Don't think that these folks won't throw their hats in the ring and court you once you're finished with college in December," she beams as she wraps her plump cherry-red lips around the tip of her drinking straw. I quickly shake away the wayward thought.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, quite honestly. For years, I planned for Chicago and Boeing. Now that Sophie and I are no longer together, I pretty much can be anywhere," I muse. Diana widens her eyes at me in response.

"Wait…you called an _SOS_ this morning. Did you happen to see her last night?" she interrogates. I close my eyes, immediately regretting the _SOS_ alert.

"What did she say…if _anything_?" she asks cautiously.

I proceed to tell her how Sophie met me at my car and how we made small talk for a few before I headed home.

"She even wished me a _Happy Birthday_ ," I say under my breath as I take in another swig of water.

"Well, that was… _nice_ , I guess," she says awkwardly.

"It was kind of hard for me to see her," I ashamedly admit.

"I bet. Look…you only need to get through these next couple of months at UW. After that, you won't have to face her again."

 _She's right.  
_ I take in a deep, calming breath.

"Yeah – it's best that I continue to play it cool and not lose my mind every time I run into her," I add.

"That's a good idea. Just be cool and cordial whenever you see her. Then keep on moving," Diana advises.

Forty-five minutes later, Diana and I stroll back towards the office. She and I are joking and laughing about a high-strung intern that works with us. Her imitation of him is spot on.

"He looks just like that old cartoon character…" she starts, trying very hard to recall the name.

"Jimmy Neutron," I blurt out. Diana leans over into me, laughing hysterically. Her laughter is quite contagious, so I laugh right along with her. My hand firmly clasps her arm in order to keep her from teetering down to the ground.

" **Who the fuck is this, Teddy!** "

The high shrill staggers both Diana and I. We spin around in unison and witness a very angry blonde draped in a pink cashmere coat, wearing tight dark blue jeans and black high heels. My stomach twists.

"Rebecca, what the hell are you still doing here? You're supposed to be at Stanford," I snap. I boil at the sight of her outside of my job again, so I don't bother to capture Diana's reaction.

"Is this Sophie?" Rebecca says with disgust. But before I can answer her question, Diana interrupts.

" _Diana_ ," my calm lunch mate cordially corrects her.  
Rebecca scoffs in response.

"Well, I don't know if Teddy has informed you _Diana_ , but he's _my_ boyfriend. So I'd greatly appreciate it if you didn't flop yourself all over him," Rebecca frowns.

"Rebecca…stop. We are _not_ together," I growl. Her anger quickly morphs into desperation.

"But you can't be with anyone else, Teddy!" she squeals.

 _I'm unable to deal with her shenanigans any more.  
I'm putting an end to this shit pronto. _

I grab Rebecca by the arm and pull her in the opposite direction, leaving Diana standing in place. Once we are a good distance away, I lay into her.

"You were out of fucking line. Diana is my co-worker. You're not even supposed to be in Seattle," I seethe.

"I had to see you again…"

I've completely run out of patience with her, so I cut her off. "I already told you, you and I were _just friends_. I don't know what made you say that to her. Now we can't be friends anymore. You've completely blown my trust."

"Teddy – _no_ ," she begs as she starts to weep.

I don't give a fuck. She had no business crashing my job for two days straight.

"I'm sorry, but you left me with no other choice. You can't be popping up at my job and yelling at my colleagues like that. You're putting my internship in jeopardy," I scold.

" _I_ …I didn't mean to. I love you _Teddy_ …"

"You need to go, Rebecca. I don't want to see you again. You're… _psycho_ ," I say, exasperated.

She's hysterical at this point, but I know that I _absolutely cannot_ console her. It will only encourage her to keep behaving like a lunatic. Instead, I stand still with a cold expression on my face until she finally buckles. With a stream of tears running down her face, she turns around and leaves. I can feel the heat of disapproving stares from passersby, but I don't care. _That girl was absolutely in the wrong._

When I face the office building once again, I'm surprised to see that Diana is still standing where I last left her. As I approach closer, the unreadable expression that once occupied her face slips into a smirk. That smirk soon gives way to laughter. I close my eyes in annoyance.

"Alright playboy, we still have a few minutes left. You need to dish," Diana beams, hungry for the sordid details.

"Please, don't make me," I grimace.

"Park bench," she orders, pointing over towards the nearby seats perched in the center of the lawn. I reluctantly follow her lead. Once there, I explain how Rebecca and I first began and how our sexual escapades gradually escalate. I even spill about our _hour of passion_ that took place on my birthday.

"She wants more and can't take the hint. It boggles my mind that she's so focused on _me_ when she's the known floozy on campus."

Diana's visible reaction to my statement instantly chills me. " _Floozy_ or not, she still has feelings," she says with empathy-riddled brown eyes.

Right away, I feel like a massive dick for leading Rebecca on. Sure, Rebecca clearly can't take a hint, but she still doesn't deserve to be treated like a toy that I put away once I'm done with her.

I of all people should understand how it feels to love someone and not be loved the same way in return.

* * *

 _Ana_

I absolutely _hate_ abusing our company's resources, but I require some _urgent one-on-one time_ with my bff in Portland.

 _Perhaps Kate will put me at ease with what I'll soon be facing at home._

My kind pilot assists as I climb out of Charlie Tango. I immediately take the elevator from the helipad on the roof down to the main floor. I then see Kate's white Mercedes parked on the other side of the glass doors. Quickly, I exit the building and enter the vehicle on the passenger's side.

Kate is already sporting her _Action News at Six_ ensemble – a gorgeous pleated blue dress with matching belt, topped with a white blazer. I'm more than certain that wherever we're headed, someone there will recognize her.

"Hey, you look beautiful," Kate beams. Although I'm in a plain black _fitted_ two-piece all-black skirt suit, which won't _fit_ me for long, I don't argue.

"Thanks. So do you, as always," I say as we hug one another from our seats.

"So – what do you have a taste for?" she asks.

"Surprise me."

"Hell…I don't know. _Indian_?"

"No, not today," I frown, nauseated by the very notion.

"Sushi?"

I shake my head profusely.

"Well obviously you don't _really_ want me to surprise you then, Mrs. Picky."

I snort. "I'd murder a Pizza Margherita right about now," I groan.

"Let's do it," she says victoriously.

….

At lunch, Kate watches in awe as I decimate my third slice of pizza in minutes.

I'm shocked that the notorious _Inquisitive Kate_ has yet to hound me about why I called this spur-of-the-moment lunch meeting all the way in Portland. The preoccupied expression she's been wearing for the past fifteen minutes tells me that she has other pressing matters on her mind. I go ahead and take one wild guess.

"Are things coming along with the divorce proceedings?" I mumble with a full mouth.

" _So_ , about that," Kate starts. I stop mid chew and gape at her.

"Tom pretty much said that he'd go broke to ensure that I walk away from our marriage without a single dime of my inheritance."

"Tom's full of shit. He can only fight for half in Oregon. And even in that case, he shouldn't be able to touch your trust," I counter. I'm beyond pissed off by what Tom is putting her through.

"He claims that he's going to sue my family for slander and argue that Kavanagh Media has cost his company three high-profile accounts. The only way he won't follow through with it is if I stop the divorce proceedings," she says with a straight face. I gape at her.

"Kate, do you hear the absurdity of all of this? Frivolous lawsuits? The judge will laugh his ass right out of court. And last I checked, what he's doing is called _blackmail_."

She lets out a deep sigh.

"Are you giving in? Are you going to leave Elliot and go back to him?" I scowl.

"Fuck no! I _love_ Elliot. And I adore Sloan. I'm not leaving those two for anyone, much less for that cheating sociopath."

"So what's the problem then? The divorce is still moving forward, right?" I present in an _open and shut_ manner.

" _Well_ …I have a new strategy in mind."

"Which is?"

"I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing. Move on with life and wait for the smoke to clear. I'm no longer going to poke the bear. Tom will eventually get tired of being married to me and he'll finally sign the divorce papers. Hopefully he'll land another whore in the process – _the marrying kind_ ," she says, shrugging her shoulders.

"That's a terrible plan, Kate," I say in extreme disapproval. "That's not fair to you _or_ Elliot."

She looks at me with sullen brown eyes. "I know, but it's what I have to do. Tom is going to keep fighting my family and me no matter what if I keep pushing this divorce. This cluster fuck parade will move right from divorce court, to people's court, to _whatever court_ that will hear his crazy ass case. We all know that Tom likes his lawsuits for breakfast. It's how he garnered his first few million. He for sure has no qualms in taking the Kavanaghs straight to the cleaners."

"Christian and I won't let that happen Kate. You need to trust us," I say with a mouth full of bread.

"Ana – what the hell?" she gapes at me. "That's your fourth slice. You usually just eat like one and a half of those."

"Really?" I say in surprise, truly unaware at how much I've just eaten.

 _I can't believe I just downed four slices of pizza.  
But this shit's amazing. I absolutely love the food in Portland.  
I'd be gigantic if I still lived near here. _

"I was starving," I say in my defense. "So, are you still in the running for that KOMO anchoring job?"

"Yep, they should be making me an offer at the end of the week. I've decided to give Tom the house for now instead of selling it if I accept the job offer."

I glare at my best friend. I wholeheartedly disagree with her new passive approach. She should _not_ be leaving him with shit. Tom cheated on _her_. Tom left _her_.

"My God, Ana. Why are you eating like the Tasmanian devil? Are you knocked up or something?" she gapes, practically blown away.

"Yep," I pep with a mouth full of food.

"You're not shitting me, are you?" she asks sternly.

I finish chewing and take a quick sip of water. "Nope. That's why I came here to see you. My doctor confirmed it early this morning," I say nonchalantly.

" _Oh my God_. Ana!" she cries out as she springs out of her chair and practically yanks me out of mine to hug me hard.

"Does Grey know yet?" she squeaks.

"Yes. He also went to the doctor with me," I say reluctantly. She looks back at me with concern.

"So _um_ …did he not take the news well?" she asks cautiously. She finally releases me and I silently urge her to retake her seat as I do.

"He took it way better than I did," I say with irony.

"Really?" she responds, surprised. "So what's the problem then? Do you not want this one?"

" _Of course_ I want it," I say, a tinge offended.

"Okay," she acquiesces. " _So_ …your husband's happy about it. _You're_ happy about it. What am I missing here?" she says with a puzzled look.

"My four teenagers. I haven't told them yet," I reveal.

"Oh," she chuckles. "Well, that's the easy part. You and Grey are the parents. They simply have to deal with whatever you throw at them. Isn't that how we all came up?" she says in an open and shut case. But this is anything _but_ that.

"You know my kids, Kate. All of them have two settings: All the way on, and all the way off. There's no in between with them," I say ominously.

"They obviously don't get that trait from you," Kate laughs. "If they take the news poorly at first, they'll eventually get over it. Teddy's going back to Stanford, therefore his opinion doesn't count. As for Phoebe and the twins, those three will be fighting over that baby. I guarantee it."

"That's what Christian said," I tell her.

"He's right. You picked the absolute perfect time to have another one," she gushes.

"And it's the last. I'm getting my tubes soldered soon after delivery. Mark my words," I declare earnestly.

"Yeah, you'll have a complete basketball starting lineup with this one. Are you sure that it's just _one_ this time?" she smirks.

"Fuck yeah," I sigh in relief.

"Good. I'm telling you, everything's going to be just fine. Sit all of the kids down at the dinner table tonight and break it to them so they won't be shocked later. Of course they'll have to keep quiet about the baby until you at least reach second trimester."

"Which is about a week or two from now."

"Holy shit, Ana," she gasps, bug eyed. "You've been pregnant all this time and didn't even know it?"

"Nope. But somehow, I think my body knew that something was up. I haven't been drinking wine lately for some strange reason. And you know that Christian and I drink wine every night like its water. I thought that my _changes_ had everything to do with perimenopause," I say, shrugging my shoulders.

"So does this mean you'll be having another _August-baby_?" Kate guesstimates.

"It's looking that way. Be honest with me. Do you think I'm way too old to be having another baby? Hell, I'll be 43 years old with a newborn child," I murmur. My apparent self-consciousness cannot be masked.

"No way. What year is this again?" she says rhetorically.

"2032," I answer anyway.

"Young couples these days are more fixated with bragging about their latest European holiday or Caribbean cruise on social media. They couldn't be bothered with arranging for care with some shifty babysitter for a mere _two-hour date-night_ before returning home. Do you know how many women I know who've had children at age 38… _40_ … _43_ … _45_? Nobody's having kids in their 20's anymore. And teen pregnancy has practically been eliminated. In fact, I did a news feature on that last month."

"I saw that one. It was great."

"Thank you," she beams proudly. "Anyway, a majority of professional couples are waiting even into their late 30's, early 40's these days. People are living much longer, healthier lives now than we ever had in century's prior. Even pop stars are popping out babies in their _50's_. Rest assured that _New Baby Grey_ won't have the oldest parents in the class," my bestie says in reassurance. I smile at her.

"What about you? Care to join me in the _over-forty and pregnant_ club?" I tease.

"Hey, you never know," she says with a secret smile.

* * *

 _Ted_

Twenty minutes after I leave work for the day, I sit alone at a tiny table inside of a nearby coffee shop.

After talking with Diana earlier this afternoon, I decided to text Rebecca with an apology. Eventually, she replied letting me know that she'd miss her flight late last night and is set to take off this evening. She agreed to meet me here at the coffee shop to clear the air.

Rebecca soon saunters in and she spots me right away. As she drags her small suitcase behind her, her eyes appear to be quite puffy still. I feel like a complete ass all over again. I stand to greet her and motion down to the seat on the other side of the table. I'd already bought her one of those _frothy caramel latte thingies_ that she adores so much, which she immediately possesses as she sits. I reclaim my chair and my plain black coffee.

"Rebecca, I'm sorry for the way that I spoke to you earlier. I just wish you would've contacted me before surprising me again at work."

"Teddy, I'm so sorry. I can't help myself. I always want to be near you," she says in a pleading voice.

 _Damn it. Was this meeting a bad idea?  
Will she ever understand that we can never be an '_ _ **us**_ _'?_

"You know that I didn't want to be in a relationship. I told you this on _day 1_ and you claimed to be totally fine with that," I remind her.

" _I know_ …I know. I thought I could handle it, but I can't… _obviously_ ," she says with a shaky voice.

"You know all about my past with Sophie. I'm still dealing with the breakup. In fact, today I decided that I'd simply bury myself in my internship and concentrate on finishing up school. I am not going to let my past dictate my future. All I can do is offer the very same advice to you."

She looks up at me with laser-focused eyes, and I know that I now have a captive audience.

"I don't know who _he_ was to you. Maybe he was your high school sweetheart. Maybe you even knew him since elementary school. Perhaps from the moment that he broke your heart, you started to lose your way. That's when you decided to hide the pain by bringing many guys pleasure. But did that _really_ heal the hurt lingering deep down inside of you?"

 _What in the fuck am I saying?  
I sound like a damned shrink!_

I can't even believe what I'm saying to her. These are the very same words someone should be saying to me. Thank goodness there are extra napkins here on the table because Rebecca is now clutching a ball of them to her face. I obviously struck a nerve.

"We used each other to dull the pain," I tell her point blank.

"I really do care about you, Ted. I seriously thought that I was over that guy. Hell, I can't even say his fucking name anymore without wanting to hurl," she sniffles.

"You need to take care of _Rebecca_ now. Put _you_ first again. Stop relying on someone else to make you happy. Don't fucking ruin your chances at Stanford over some dude, even if that dude is _me_. Get back to school and kick ass. Then move on and take over corporate America…or whatever it is that you want to accomplish in the future. That's what I intend to do," I resolve.

After an hour more of consoling and encouraging her, Rebecca's ride share eventually arrives and I help her out to the car. Once her bag is secured in the trunk, she and I exchange a friendly hug.

"Promise that we'll still be friends when you return to Stanford," she says softly.

"Just friends. _No_ benefits," I smirk. I can tell that she doesn't totally like my answer, but understanding eventually surfaces on her sweet face.

"And I promise to do better. I won't go down in history as the campus' _Head Queen_ ," she declares with irony.

"Good girl," I grin.

Rebecca climbs into the back seat and we share one last hesitant smile before I shut the rear door for her.

….

Unfortunately on the way to class this evening, I run into Sophie once more on campus. She called out my name from across the way and I simply waved at her wearing a forced smile. She waved in return, but it appeared as if she wanted to say something more. However, I continued journeying onward with long strides as if I were running late for class. In actuality, I arrived to class fifteen minutes ahead of time.

As I took my seat in the practically empty lecture hall – save for a handful of other students, I resolved that this is how I will react to Sophie going forward.

 _I'll simply smile, wave, and keep it moving._

Today, I am determined now more than ever to work this girl out of my system.

 _I am sick of constantly thinking about her.  
I am sick of always dreaming about her._

Before today, I had my mind set on engaging in a no-strings-attached sexual relationship. I didn't want a girl bat-shit crazy like Rebecca, nor could she work with me like Diana. But right now, I'm pretty convinced that there's no safe way of engaging in a sex-only situation. Eventually, someone is going to want _more_.

 _I will no longer use sex to mask the pain within._

So going all in on work and school is the only way for me. If my friends, work colleagues, and schoolmates think that I'm an asshole now, they haven't seen _nothing yet_. From this moment on, I aim to go above and beyond in everything that I do. If the current endeavor isn't challenging enough for me, I will make it a challenge. If I learn everything that there is to know about vendor/supplier relations at Amazon, then I will shadow someone else in a different department and learn everything that they do.

 _I already have the advantage of sitting in on senior management meetings.  
Perhaps I can perform at a level where even the CEO will begin to take notice of me._

Suddenly, this _thrill of the chase drive_ ignites a spark that has me eager to play and conquer this corporate game. When I'm done with them, they will more than feel my absence. _I may feel bad about playing a girl, but I have no bones about taking everything what I want from corporate America before leaving them out to dry._

 _But what about GEH?_

As the lecturer addresses the now full room, I ponder the question.  
 _Have I learned everything there is to learn from The Master – my father?_

For the past few years, Dad has been hell bent on taking me under his wing. His end goal is to sculpt me after his own image and ready me to eventually take over the business after he and Mom are done. Although I have no desire to either remain in Seattle or run GEH, I can't help but admit that I would love to know everything that makes Christian Grey tick in the business sphere.

 _You know, get inside of my father's head and learn all of the things that make him the brilliant businessman that he is. You see, the only way to take over the world is to start under the tutelage of a master._

Granted, I know that I have what it takes to eventually be on a first-name basis with the CEO of Amazon. But let's be real – the guy may be a billionaire, but he's still at the mercy of a board and stockholders. Christian Grey has always been and always will be his _own man_. _He_ makes all of the rules and calls all of the shots. That's exactly what I want for myself.

Although I strive to distant myself from my pops, I can't help but to be in awe of the man.

….

After class, I maintain tunnel vision as I march towards the parking lot – silently praying not to run into _her_ once more.

"Yo, Ted!" a male's voice calls out. I turn and witness Hanson approaching nearby.

"Larkin!" I greet in return. When the two of us finally meet, we slap hands as we've always done since playing on the field together in high school.

"You just get out of class?" he asks, adjusting his backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Yep. So far, so good," I exhale.

"Sweet. I was just on my way back to my dorm. Do you have time to go grab a coffee or something?" he asks.

"Sure, man."

The two of us head over to the Starbucks at the HUB and quickly order and retrieve our plain coffees before perching at one of the taller tables.

"How's everything been since I saw you last week?" I grin.

"Cool as a cucumber. I know I told you this before, but your dad is amazing," he gushes. I wince at him. "Working at GEH is a dream come true. I never thought I'd ever love the business world more than I love baseball."

"Yeah, Phoebe told me that you were looking to slip out of your sports scholarship," I say matter-of-factly.

"It's already done. Coach wasn't happy about it, but I have to think about myself and my family. Baseball isn't a sure thing for me after graduation."

I gape at him.  
 _He did it. He quit baseball._

" _S…_ so, how are you…" I start with a stutter, unable to tactfully ask my good friend how he's able to afford to stay in school now.

"I got a scholarship at GEH that allows me to work a minimum of 30 hours a week while finishing up classes here. It's a tough job – but I'm focused, man. I'm sure you understand being that you are currently doing the very same thing," he grins.

"Sure," I nod.

"And to top it off, your father has chosen to personally mentor me. Isn't that great?" he says with glee.

My stomach drops. It is now obvious that Dad's using Hanson as a substitute for me. With baseball now behind him, he can be everything that my father wants him to be. But realistically – Larkin's career climb at GEH will be limited.

Although he may be dating my sister, Hanson isn't truly family.  
 _He'll never have the keys to Grey House._

"I still can't believe it myself. I've already learned a great deal from your dad," he says with a never-ending smile.

"Have you had the chance to show him your proposal for the data set issue?" I ask.

"I officially meet with him about it in two weeks, but he did say that my initial assessment was quite ambitious. He wants me to spend time with Barney's team and learn more about SQL and all that fun jazz to determine if we're really doing all that we need to do to resolve the data extract issue."

I still believe that he's wasting his time with this, but whatever floats his boat. I resolve to let him figure this out for himself. "That's fantastic, Hanson. Barney's team is top notch. It's good that you are spending time with them as well as with my father."

"I'd say. I might even enroll in a few database management classes in the fall."

Again, a total time suck – especially if that's not what he's going to school for. Still, I bite my tongue. "Not a bad idea," I respond.

"So, enough about me. How's Amazon coming along?"

"Good. I was able to impact two major accounts and get pulled into some very high-profile management meetings," I say matter-of-factly.

"Damn Grey – you're a force of nature, just like your pops. When you're all done at Stanford, you need to bring that tenacity back to GEH. I'd truly love to work with you, man," he grins in hope.

If he'd said this to me yesterday, I would've shot him down immediately. But now, it is clear to me that working someplace like Amazon after college won't give me the freedom that I need to innovate and elicit change across the board.

If I work anywhere other than GEH after Stanford, I will continue to remain under someone's thumb for the duration of my career there. And even though working for myself is the end goal, I still need to work _somewhere_ in order to build up my initial capital.

 _My father may be a tyrant when it comes to my love life, but if I'm positively impacting his bottom line from a business standpoint, he will absolutely let me soar._

"We'll see," I reply with a telling smirk.

….

Before driving home from campus, I notice a text from my mother.

 ** _Mom  
_** 8:35p: _Are you headed home soon?  
We will wait on you for dinner. _

**_Teddy  
_** 8:53p: _I'm headed home now.  
Please don't wait. Go ahead and eat._

The moment I climb out of my car in our family's twenty-car garage, I am startled when my sister Phoebe rushes me.

"You're home – _finally_. Something's going on. I don't know _what_ ," she spazzes.

"What do you mean?" I say, dumbfounded. I'm just getting home after a very long day and I'm too tired to figure shit out. I need her to talk.

"First of all, we haven't had dinner yet. We're starving," she tells me as I pull my backpack from the back seat of the car. I slam the door shut.

"It's just after 10. I told mom not to wait on me. Everyone knows I'm in class until 8:30," I frown.

"It's also a weeknight and Hanson doesn't usually do dinner with us during the week. Mom knows this – _yet_ she texted me earlier in the day and asked if he was coming over."

I'm beyond confused and can't decode these random-ass clues that evidently scream out something significant for her.

 _Just when I think that I finally understand women, I don't._

"I just left from having coffee with him on campus. What's the big deal?"

"I have a bad feeling that Mom and Dad are calling a _family meeting_ ," she finally fesses up.

" _Shit_ ," I groan.

" _I know_ ," she whines in agony.

The last time I sat through one of those dreadful meetings, it was to inform everyone that Sophie would no longer be hanging around at our house. That was the worse night of my life up to that point.

 _I fucking loathe family meetings._

* * *

 ** _A/N: Up next – Ted has a heart-to-heart with his father about his plans after college. After a three-month time hop, Ted realizes that Sophie's clothes are getting baggier over time. Ted later calls an SOS meeting and Diana ends up supporting him in an extremely uncomfortable situation._**

 ** _As of right now, chapter 12 will mostly cover Ted, but we will open up with Ana and Christian telling the kids about the upcoming baby. :) The three-year time hop is still slated for chapter 13._**

 ** _Thanks for reading! – ST2_**

 ** _PS: I'll be out of town for work for the next two weeks, so the next update might be somewhat delayed. I appreciate your patience!_**


	12. Chapter 12 - Somebody That I Used To

**Chapter 12 – Somebody That I Used To Know**

 _Tuesday, January 13, 2032  
(Continued)_

 _Ana_

It's after ten o'clock at night as we sit as a family practically silent at the dinner table.

Unable to focus on the contents of my plate, I survey the room. Over at the head of the table to my left, Christian is devouring his meal. He couldn't understand my reasoning for insisting that Teddy be present during our dinner announcement.

As I eye the twins who are seated at the opposite side of me, they look as though they are ready to fall face first into their meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I can't blame them since its _way_ past their bedtime.

And then there's my oldest two seated to my right. Although they chip away at their meal, it's quite obvious that they are studying both their father and me. Perhaps I should've just waited until Saturday morning to break the news. But even then, all of the kids are way too busy on the weekends. This is the only time I could get them all at once without risking one of them texting the other and them not getting the news first-hand.

I decide to finally put them out of their misery – _and_ me.

"So you may be wondering why we're all eating dinner so late," I preface, not sure how to exactly drop such a bomb on the kids.

"It's _not_ my fault. I told Mom to let you guys eat," Teddy mumbles through a mouth full of bread.

"I'm tired," Beth moans.

"Me too," echoes Brie.

I look helplessly at my husband, who as usual looks calm and cool.

"Well, since we're all gathered here as a family, your mother and I have some news to share," Christian leads in.

The sudden rhythmic clanking of silverware to porcelain is followed by sharp silence, letting me know that I now have everyone's undivided attention. As four pairs of young eyes that are a composite of Christian's and mine stare back at the two of us, I begin to taste a more acidic version of my meatloaf coming back up into my throat. _Gag_. I quickly take in a gulp of water as well as a deep calming breath.

"We… _are_ …" I stammer.

 _Why in the hell is this so hard?!  
Just say it, Ana.  
Say the words._

"Oh my God! Are you guys getting a divorce?!" Brie squeals in horror.  
Her _way off-base_ assumption most certainly throws me for a loop.  
 _Why would she even insinuate that?_

"No freaking way that's happening," Phoebe snarls at her little sister. Teddy laughs at the two of them. "Those two are constantly slobbering all over each other," she adds. I feel my cheeks beginning to blush as Christian fights off a grin. _And just when I thought we did a stellar of job hiding our canoodling away from our children._

 _Were we always so darn obvious?_

"Missy Draper's parents just told her and her sister over the weekend that they were getting a divorce. Missy's devastated," Beth explains. "I told Brie _that would_ _ **never**_ _happen to us_."

"You don't know that! Dad got _really_ mad at Mom last year when she hid my volleyball injury from him while he was in Portland," Brie recalls, rattled. At this point, I know that its anxiety mixed in with a bit of hunger and _a lot_ of fatigue that's actively pushing Brie out into the deep end.

The mere mention of the last big fight that Christian and I had makes me even _more_ nauseous. Even though I tried my very best to hide our spat from our children, it's evident that they are smarter than Christian and I realize.

" _What?!_ " Teddy gapes at everyone, shocked that he's just now hearing about this for the first time.

"Long story," Phoebe giggles. I roll my eyes at the bitter memory, while Christian narrows his – possibly recalling his anger from my folly.

Soon afterwards, all of the kids are speaking out of turn. My brain is now as mushy as the mashed potatoes sitting before me.

 _This late family meeting was a bad idea._

" _Quiet!_ " Christian barks. Instantly, you can practically hear a pin drop.

"No one is getting a divorce. We don't believe in that word in this house," Christian says with fervor. "I love your mother very, _very_ much," he says warmly as he turns to me and takes my nearest hand from the table's surface. Placing my hand gently to his lips, he kisses it.

" _Sick_ ," I hear Phoebe mumble right beside me. A faint snort exits from Teddy.  
 _Oh boy._

"And I _think_ she loves me too," he teases with a wink. I beam shyly at him.

"That's _why_ …" he leads into it, eyeing me to slam dunk the announcement.

"We're having another baby," I finally spill.

I slowly shift my eyes from Christian and look straight ahead. Brie and Beth are both wide awake now. I mean **_wide_** **awake**. The identical twins mirror one another – not just in DNA and outer appearance. Their present expressions are totally in sync. First, their eyebrows just about meet their hairlines, and their upper and bottom lips are practically joined to their nose and chin respectively. Slowly, their shock morphs into something else.

"Oh my God!" they both exclaim. Pretty soon, they are jumping up and down on their feet.

"We're going to be big sisters!" they each say in turn as they hug tightly in victory.

Christian leans over to me wearing a satisfied smirk. " _See_ , I told you there was nothing to worry about," he murmurs before planting a kiss on my temple. I close my eyes as nausea still resides in the pit of my stomach. After a few beats, I reopen my eyes and gradually shift my head over to the right.

Both Teddy and Phoebe are wearing an expression that's the opposite of the twins.

 _Yep, I knew it.  
They hate this._

"Are you freaking kidding me?!" Phoebe raises Cain, quieting her celebrating twin sisters.

* * *

 _Ted_

With a mouth full bread, I gape at Mom who almost looks fragile. My eyes then shift over to Dad who's still gripping her hand. He looks… _proud_?

 _Dude, you're pushing 50!  
A fucking newborn child?!_

It's pretty damn obvious that Christian Grey's _pullout game_ is atrocious.  
That _and_ my mother doesn't know the true meaning of _birth control_.

 _Geez people!_

While I can't even form the right words to speak outwardly, Phoebe can't hide her outrage.

"Are you freaking kidding me?!" she barks.

"Believe it or not, this wasn't planned. But _planned_ or not, you all will have a new baby sister or brother to welcome home this summer," Mom reveals to us.

" **Yes!** " Beth cries out triumphantly from the other side of the table.

I can tell that this announcement is weighing much heavier on than Mom than it is on Dad. While he sits there wearing a shit-eating grin, Mom is the one who has to endure pregnancy while _Christian Grey's newest spaw_ n prepares to invade the planet. I'm certain that _Daddy-O_ is faithfully chanting to the gods, praying for a boy who will finally get shit right.

 _A son that doesn't argue with him at every turn.  
A son that does everything he wants before he even has to ask.  
A son that falls in love with whomever he wants him to fall in love with, whenever he wants it to occur._

 _A son that's just like him who's more than willing to pick up the mantle the moment he's set to step down as co-CEO of GEH._

"This summer?! You knew about this for _months_?!" Phoebe squawks.

While Mom looks empathetically at her oldest daughter, Dad is slowly starting to lose patience.

"Settle down, Phoebe," he commands in a calm warning.

All of his offspring know that this is only _level one_ in the _Christian Grey explosion index_. We are several levels away from a nuclear event. However, we know very well to _never_ chance the situation and let an argument escalate. When it comes to our father, the fucking needle can jump from a _one_ to a _ten_ in a matter of seconds.

Smartly, Pheebs takes in a deep breath and closes her eyes in order to collect herself.

"I only got official confirmation yesterday. I didn't think that I could have any more children after the twins. This news was as surprising for me as it is for you," Mom pleads.

"Mom – I'm sorry. I'm just… _shocked_ ," Phoebe says after cooling down. Mom chuckles ironically while Dad restores his beaming smile.

"This baby is a blessing, just like all of you," he adds. He squeezes Mom's hand on the table as he warmly eyes each of his kids one by one.

When his eyes finally land on me, a thought crosses my mind.  
 _I don't think he actually meant that as a blanket statement._

I feel like an exposed fraud the longer that my father stares at me. Nervous, I quickly shift my view over to my mother – who's currently focused on her one hand that's wrapped inside of Dad's.

Even though I think the whole concept of a couple who's less than five years away from being total empty-nesters – who then decide to start all over again is quite absurd, I refuse to give Mom crap about it. I can tell from the look in her eyes that she was more worried about our reaction to the news than anything else.

Mom should be at the point of her life where she's able to take sporadic girls' trips with Aunt Kate and Aunt Mia around the world. But with a new baby on the way, it'll be much more difficult for her to simply drop everything. Dad on the other hand won't break a sweat. He'll have Mom right where he wants her – at home with him, along with a brand new _fan_ to worship the ground he walks on.

I won't lie; my father is fucking amazing with kids. The shine just wears out the moment you are able to make your own decisions outside of his _perfect will_. That aside, I think that this new addition will probably be more spoiled than the four of us combined. _He_ or _she_ will absolutely have it made.

"Congratulations, Mom…Dad. I probably won't be here when the baby comes home, but I'll make it back as soon as I can," I finally say.

My blank face slowly forms a genuine smile, which appears to have released a heavy weight off of Mom's chest. I can feel Pheeb's eyes practically burning a hole in my side. I get the impression that everyone here expected me to freak out more than anyone else.

"Thank you, sweetie," my mother exhales. She's smiling now.

"I'm in charge decorating the baby's room," Beth calls dibs.

"No way – I have the best decorating taste here," Phoebe argues.  
It took no time for her to come around.

" _Everyone_ will have a say," Mom lovingly declares.

My Mom and sisters begin chatting excitedly about how the baby's room should look. Dad and I simply smirk at one another and let the girls have at it.

"We need to find out what Mom's having first before we finalize anything," Phoebe later interjects.

"Are you having more twins?" Beth says, full of hope.

" ** _No_** ," Mom barks out without hesitation.

We all laugh.

….

 _Wednesday, January 14, 2032_

I wake with a start.

I can't recall exactly what I just dreamt about, but the bottom of my gut tells me that Sophie Taylor was all over it. After utilizing the en suite bathroom, I glance at my cell phone to check the time.

 _It's only 1:45 in the morning._

And although I had a late dinner, I'm seriously craving junk food right now. I make my way through the quiet, dark house and head towards the kitchen. Once there, I only activate a fraction of the multiple recessed ceiling LEDs by slowly sliding up the dimmer switch. I can't bear the sight of bright lights at this hour.

On the counter, I spy a clear glass dome encasing a glorious chocolate cake.

 _Hallelujah._

Instantly, I reach in the cupboard for a small plate and then dig into the utensil drawer for a cake cutter. The very moment I raise the dome from glory, my father enters the kitchen – startling me.

"I see that we both had the same idea," he smirks. I flash him a guilty grin.

"Want a slice?" I ask.

He narrows his eyes at me in a _'what the hell do you think'_ gesture before reaching into the cupboard for another small plate. He then saunters over to the silverware drawer to retrieve two dessert forks. _Good thinking, Pops._

I cut him and I each a sizeable helping of chocolate bliss. Afterwards, we sit together at the breakfast bar along with our late night treat.

"Your mother's going to know immediately who devoured nearly half of this cake in the middle of the night," my father says as he takes a guilt-free chomp. I chuckle as I lick off the thick, rich icing from my fork.

"By the way, I appreciate how you responded to your mother regarding the news. She was worried how you kids would react," he says, smacking down the lingering bite before readying another forkful of cake.

"I could tell. So, how does it feel to be starting all over again? You and Mom prepared to start losing sleep soon?" I ask in jest.

"You know that I hardly ever sleep anyway. And I'm quite certain that The Taylors absolutely miss carrying our spit up-covered suits to the dry cleaners."

I chuckle. "At least it's not _double_ the load this time. I vaguely remember the chaos after the twins arrived," I recall.

"Yes, that was chaotic but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. I've learned over the years to never take anything for granted. I cherish all of those moments – with the twins, with Phoebe…with _you_."

My father's words prick something within. I can't recall a time when he has bared his heart to me in such a way. He's usually so guarded with his emotions. To this day, still I don't know why that is. Something tells me that this has something to do with his very early childhood before Granny and Grandpa Grey adopted him. It's a period that no one _ever_ talks about.

"Becoming a father has completely changed my life for the best. You'll find out one day," he smiles. I wince at him. "No time soon, though," he adds with a wink.

" _Hel_ …I mean _heck_ no," I quickly correct myself. Dad tries not to laugh at my _almost_ slip. Although my father curses like a sailor, my mother taught me not to swear in front of elders.

"Son, with the new baby coming, I'm counting on you to lead the way by setting a good example. Your sisters already look up to you. This new little one will eventually follow suit," Dad says, foreboding.

I look down at what's left of my cake.

 _So much for the brief heartfelt talk. Now we're back to heaping that good ol' fashioned 'Oldest Grey Child Burden' all over Mr. Theodore Raymond._

"So, how are things coming along at Amazon?" he asks, quickly changing the subject.

"Great. I managed to get two major accounts to reduce their costs. I also got invited to take part in management-only meetings," I tell him.

"I'm not surprised," he says without expression.

It's one thing when you're labeled as _the fuckup_. People usually aren't moved by any blunder that you make when they always expect that from you. On the flip side – being pinned as _the overachiever_ has its pitfalls as well. When my father hears about any great accomplishment that I've made, he doesn't even bat an eye.

At least my mom treats each of my major accomplishments as if it were the first. She freaks out… _in a good way_. I guess that's just what moms do.

"So, do you see yourself working there after college?" my father says all of a sudden.

 _Really?  
Why would he even ask that?_

My father's question stuns me. All this time, I thought that he made up in his own mind that I was eventually bringing my talents back to GEH full-time. I expected an impending knock-down, drag-out fight with him the moment I verbalized that I wouldn't ultimately be returning to my parents' company.

However, it appears as though he's giving me an out right now.  
 _Should I take it?_

Or it could be a trap.

"Amazon is a fantastic company," I tell him. My father is impossible to read in general, but even more so right in this moment. I resolve to just tell him where my head is right now, and then brace for the aftermath.

"But once I'm done with school in December, I hope to be working full-time at GEH," I finally reveal. I watch as my father's expression transforms from something uncertain, to a look of unmistakable pride.

"Son, I always assumed that you would come to work at GEH after you graduated. I'm just glad that you know that it's where you truly belong. You're too fucking gifted to be restrained, which is what any other company would do to you."

"I know," I concur, nodding adamantly.

"I've been waiting for you to willingly say the words for a long time. Your mother and I will be more than happy to welcome you to your rightful place next January," he beams, standing. He motions me to stand before extending out his arms.

Dude wants a hug.  
 _Seriously? Where in the hell is Christian Grey right now?_

I'm stunned as I embrace my father and he squeezes me tightly, kissing my hair. My verbal declaration to begin my career after graduation at his company obviously means a great deal to him.

….

 _Thursday, April 1, 2032_

Time continues to fly by. It's now the first of April.

My parents are leaving town tomorrow for a weeklong celebration in Cancun in honor of their 20th wedding anniversary. Mom is _not quite_ 6 months pregnant, sporting the cutest little baby bump – which serves as a constant reminder that I'll soon be the oldest of five.

Regardless how Phoebe may have initially responded to the news of Mom's pregnancy, or how I may have felt internally during the announcement, we are all very much looking forward to meeting the little gal… _or_ guy.

Yep, my folks still don't know what they're having. My father wants it to remain a surprise until the very end, much to my mother's chagrin. As a result, they will have to come up with a boy's name and a girl's name in order to be prepared for the arrival in about four months.

Pheeb had a _killer_ 17th birthday shindig over at the house last month. She initially expected about 50 people, but over 150 showed up. Buddies of Hanson and mine came through, including Monty who stayed with us at the pool long after the fireworks and after the parents, the grands and everyone else called it a night.

My friend Diana from work even managed to make an appearance.  
 _I'll get back to her in a second._

This first day of April marks two weeks from scheduled final exams. My Business Strategy professor told me to not even bother taking his final once he read my honors thesis draft. He said that I was literally one of the best students that he ever had. It's smooth sailing in my Operations Management class as well. I'll show up in two weeks, ace the final, and be on my merry way back to Stanford in the summer.

I'm just about done with my honors thesis, which covers supplier management from the standpoint of my experience so far at Amazon. What I've written to date is already guaranteed to make Professor Ship at Stanford jizz in his pants. I aim to have the final product professionally printed and bound at the Grey House print shop by finals week. I will personally hand deliver copies to the appropriate faculty members at Stanford when I return there for summer semester next month.

 _So, back to Diana…_

Until very recently, I've been doing quite well with remaining strictly focused on work and classes. I swore to myself that I wouldn't let sex interfere with the prize. My father is already making plans for me to make the rounds and learn even more about the family business when I return to Seattle for good next January. As a result, I've also added some additional reading material to prepare myself for this in between my scarce spare time.

However, if you ask my old baseball buddies, they'd say that there's plenty of time left over to take Diana Fenkell down to _Teddy Land_. The boys gave me so much shit from the moment she showed up to Phoebe's birthday party, and subsequently spent most of her time hanging around me – which I welcomed.

The guys continue to ignore my multiple pleas that Diana and I are _just good friends_.

Still, I can't help but wonder if I made the right call months ago on not sleeping with her again. I remember that one night in her temporary apartment like it was yesterday. Girl was _supreme_ in bed. However, I still have to remind myself on a daily basis that I absolutely cannot mix business with pleasure.

 _But she and I won't be co-workers after next month.  
_ I shake away the wayward thought.

Outside of the bedroom, Diana is a _very_ cool chick and a fantastic friend. Often after work and before my night classes, she and I normally head over to our spot at Alibi's and partake in a Hendrick's for old time's sake. She is so fucking real and such a joy to be with. I can honestly say that she has grown to become one of my best friends.

On the flip side, I still have these nagging lingering thoughts about Sophie. It's been many months since she's broken my heart, but it still doesn't hurt any less. I've seen her a few times on campus from afar. I remain cordial towards her, but I keep it moving – always pushing the impression that I'm running late for class. And even though the weather is gradually warming up, her outfits are seemingly becoming baggier.

 _Maybe her fiancé has her on his weird hipster kick.  
_ Ironically, I have yet to see her walk hand-in-hand with him as Phoebe did last year. I still have no clue what this Aiden Glenn joker looks like outside of his mugshot that Gerts managed to get his hands on.

After a long day at work, Diana and I go grab a drink at our regular spot. We stay and shoot the breeze until we end up ordering burgers and fries _. I need to text Mom so that she or Mrs. Taylor won't bother with setting a plate aside for when I get home after class tonight._

….

It's late evening. I head out of class and walk towards the commuter students' lot. As I spot my car from a distance, I see what looks to be Sophie leaning up against it. I flinch in alarm.

 _Why is she waiting for me?_

When I approach even closer, she raises her head and stands upright the moment that she spots me. She tugs her baggy jean jacket close in the front, covering up most of her black dress.

"Sophie?" I say in a perplexed greeting. And her _oh so familiar_ scent fills my nostrils as we stand about four feet apart. Nostalgia and longing causes my stomach to churn.

 _I was able to handle seeing Sophie from afar…but_ _ **this**_ _close?_  
I can feel myself slowly melting away.

As I look at her – awaiting her explanation for stalking my vehicle until I was set to leave class for the night, I notice that her face is a lot fuller than normal. Immediately, I assume that she's pregnant with her fiancé's baby.

 _Fuck._

Or maybe she's just happy, so she's eating a lot.

 _Double Fuck.  
That means she's much happier living without me. _

And it's in this moment that I pray for this girl to take me out of my misery so I can go home and sulk over her like a little bitch.

"I've been wanting to talk to you for a while now. But every time I see you, you're always in a hurry," she starts. I let out an uncomfortable sigh, making it quite obvious that I've been avoiding her on purpose.

"Look Teddy…I know this is weird. _I_ …I don't want things to ever be weird between us," she pleads nervously. I move my lips to tell her that things _'are what they are'_ , but she continues.

"I'm so sorry for what happened between us. You are _so_ important to me."

 _No fucking way.  
This has to be a joke._

I check my watch.  
 _Yep. It's still April Fools' Day._

I frown at her. Her words completely contradict her actions for the past eight or so months.

 _If I were_ _ **so**_ _important to her, she would've waited for me.  
She wouldn't have abandoned me. _

"You and your family will always hold a very special place in my heart. Your mom and sisters accepted me at my most volatile state. And Ted – you mean _so much_ to me, so it would mean the world if you met Aiden."

I am appalled and she sees it.  
 _The fucking nerve of this woman!_

"I'm not interested," I snap.

"Teddy… _please_. Look, Aiden's a good guy and I want him to meet someone in my life who means the world to me," she says in a heartless plea. Her beautiful blue eyes begin to moisten and I immediately sense her being disconnected from her words.

 _Does she even believe what she's saying to me right now?  
_ What's her game? I have no idea why she's doing this to me right now.  
It's downright cruel.

I simply stand there, utterly stunned.

"Other than my mom, no one else in my family really cares to know Aiden. My father's not interested. He has his own prejudices against him, but he doesn't know Aiden like I do."

And there we have it. The truth finally comes out.  
 _Just as I suspected. If Taylor thinks there is something wrong with this stoner..._

The sadistic part of me wants to see the train wreck for myself and witness Sophie's fuckup live and in the flesh. _Sophie Taylor's living, breathing mistake_. But the other part of me doesn't want to face the fact that Sophie is much happier with this guy. And in all honesty, I want to get the hell out of here and exit this current situation altogether.

I know if I were to yell at her like I did over the phone last year, the outcome could end up being even uglier than before. I simply want to walk away from this and continue to ignore her for the next two weeks. After that, I never have to worry about running into her ever again.

" _Look_ …I'll _think_ about it," I say, exasperated. But I don't really mean it. I've already made up in my mind that I want nothing to do with her or her lame _fiancé_.

Sophie looks at me with hope restored in her eyes and my heart immediately drops.  
 _This girl absolutely deserves to feel all of the hurt and pain that she has made me feel._

Emotionally, I am practically done with her.  
I only want to get in my car and drive home.

"Please, text me and let me know when you are ready to meet. I still have the same number," she says. Finally after staring at my blank expression in a few moments silence, she turns to walk away.

 _Fuck this_ – I think as I climb into my car and start home _._

….

 _Friday, April 2, 2032_

" _Grey_ ," Diana calls out across the table over lunch.

She and I share a pizza at a spot not too far from work. I've been _out of it_ all day, mostly due to lack of sleep. In spite of my resolve to completely write Sophie out of my life, she still continues to affect me in the worse way.

I narrow my eyes at Diana, prompting her to say what it is she has to say, as I pull another slice of pepperoni and prosciutto pizza from the tower in between us.

"What's going on? You look like hell," she says with concern-riddled hazel eyes.

"And still, my looks aren't even close to the way I feel. I was tempted to call an _SOS_ earlier, but I figured that I needed to be a big boy and handle things all on my own for a change," I tell her mid-bite.

"Ted, you know that's not how this works. We've been at this _friendship thing_ for what…three months now? We've become each other's sounding board in the process – in _all_ things," she reminds me.

I blink, knowing that she speaks the truth. But this particular situation is beyond outlandish. I don't even want speak out about what happened. Diana knowing about it will make the situation more real.

Since leaving campus last night, I've been endlessly rationalizing the scenarios in my mind to the point of losing sleep. I even arrived at the office around 5:30 this morning because I was getting _nowhere_. I managed to exceed many of my deadlines for the week just this morning. Yet, I feel as empty as I did when I first arrived in the office. Even a seven mile brisk run on the treadmill at the home gym didn't help.

 _So what the hell? What do I have left to lose?_

"Sophie waited for me by my car after class last night," I start after taking in a big gulp of water. Diana's eyes grow wider and round.

"Really?"

"She wants me to meet her fiancé, Aiden."

Diana's jaw nearly falls on the table. " _What_? The nerve," she gasps.

"Yeah, I know," I say, just as dumbfounded as I was last night.

After a few beats of looking appalled, Diana now appears as though a tidbit of clarity enters that pretty little head of hers.

"What did you say to her?" she asks.

"I told her I'd think about it, but I only said that so I could leave. No way am I meeting them," I say with disgust.

"You should call her bluff."

I gape at her. "Huh?"

"Something tells me that she believes you're bitter and won't _really_ accept her offer. Prove her wrong. Invite them out to lunch on Monday and show her that you've moved on too," she says point blank.

"Fenkell…are you on crack?" I laugh sardonically. "Hell no – I'm _not_ meeting the dude that she left me for," I say, now dead serious.

"Ask them out for lunch. And bring me with you," she suggests with a scheming smirk.

Whoa – is she saying that we should pretend to be a couple?

 _Maybe I'll see if Sophie even gives a fuck that I moved on past her with someone that my father would deem more worthy. Diana is more Anastasia Grey-like than Sophie could ever be._

 _Let's face it, Diana is closer to my age and she's more of my equal professionally._

The more I ponder about it, the more the prospect of accepting Sophie's asinine offer to meet her new _love_ seems tempting…well, _almost_.

"We don't have to lie about what we are," Diana prefaces. "We're very good friends, Ted. I'll be there for you as a support. I'll be there to let the two of them know that you aren't alone in this. I'm pretty sure we'll see a whole new side of Sophie once she sees that you're not in this by yourself. It'll probably be _the Sophie who wouldn't dare ask someone who cared deeply for her to meet her new guy_."

My thoughts exactly.

And Diana has a good point. If I'm not there alone, it won't be a situation where _the ridiculously happy couple_ seemingly ambushes _the lonely loser_. Diana's presence would simply neutralize the situation. Then I will see with my very own eyes why Sophie chose that guy over me and be able to finally sleep at night.

 _No I won't. Who am I kidding?_

"I don't know if I want to do that," I finally say. "Having you there with me almost seems kind of… _dirty_. It would be like I'm playing Sophie's little game."

Diana simply shrugs her shoulders before she challenges me to think about it before writing the idea off completely. We eventually let it go, but I can tell that the situation has her being defensive on my behalf. And though this situation has my stomach in knots and my emotions up in flames, I can't help but to _not_ be as upset seeing how Diana clearly has my back in all of this.

….

 _Monday, April 5, 2032_

 _I can't believe I'm actually going through with this._

When I left work on Friday, my brain couldn't stop churning about what Diana had said. All through the drive home, I weighed out all of the pros and cons of meeting up with Sophie and her Aiden. Finally when I pulled up inside of the garage, I decided to just bite the bullet.

This meeting with Sophie and her guy would serve as the final closure that I need. There's no way I could ever view this woman as the same girl who won over my heart so many years ago. That Sophie would've never put me in such a devastating place.

 _The Sophie Taylor I knew is no more, and today's lunch should prove that._

While I was still seated in my car last Friday in the garage, I shot out a text.

 ** _T. Grey  
_** 5:47p: _Does your offer to join me with Sophie and partner still stand?_

 ** _Fenkell  
_** 5:48p: _Yes. I'm there. Just say the word._

That gave me the strength that I needed to extend the invite to Sophie.

 ** _Teddy G  
_** 5:50p: _Hey, would you and Aiden like to meet me for lunch Monday afternoon?_

 ** _Sophie  
_** 5:55p: _Sure! Where would you like for us to meet?_

 ** _Teddy G  
_** 5:57p: _Cinque Terre downtown at noon. Does that work?_

 ** _Sophie  
_** 5:58p: _Sounds great. Look forward to seeing you there!_

I roll my eyes recalling her giddy text and I instantly want to reconsider the decision of going through with this bullshit.

The good thing about handling this now is that my folks are still away in Mexico basking in _anniversary bliss_. I'm not sure if Dad still tracks my every move, therefore I'm uncertain if he knows that I've reached out to Sophie via text. But something tells me that he no longer give a shit.

 _I'm certain he's aware that Sophie is engaged since Taylor knows._

Back to the here and now – there's not a day when Diana Fenkell doesn't come to work looking like a total knockout. However, something tells me that she coconsciously kicked her game up a few notches for my benefit this afternoon.

Wearing a sexy fitted all black pants suit with gold high heels, she and I wait at our table in the Italian restaurant for the future Mr. and Mrs. Glenn to make their appearance. I settle for a button-up dress shirt with a dark blue and white check print, solid navy tie, and gray pants. I don't notice that I'm nervously twiddling my thumbs on the table until Diana puts her hand down to still them.

"You'll do fine. _Stop_ worrying," she commands in a reassuring voice.

I place one hand down on my lap and use the other to reach for my glass of half-and-half tea and lemonade. Just when my eyes rise to meet the door, in walks a stunning blonde in a black dress riddled with sunflowers.

 _Sophie._

The very sight of her causes my appetite to dissipate.  
I'm heartbroken all over again.

Holding the door behind her is a blond ponytail wearing-hipster guy in black jeans, a black t-shirt and a dark suit jacket. Obviously, it's Aiden. His beard is much neater now than it looked in his mug shot from years ago.

"Is that _them_?" Diana whispers as she points towards the door. A greeter intercepts the couple as Sophie scans the room, apparently searching for me.

" _Yes_ ," I utter.

Diana moves in closer. "She's _obviously_ pregnant," she murmurs.

I blink really fast at her. "I noticed the other day that she's gained some weight in her face, but I never saw a belly," I say discretely.

" _Really?_ Because girl looks like she's about to pop _today_ ," Diana says scandalously.

Sophie finally spots me and beams, letting the greeter know that she's just located their table. With Aiden at her side, she approaches our table towards the rear of the restaurant. As she draws nigh, my heart rises up to my throat. It's then when I see a huge sunflower-covered bump, no longer hidden behind a jacket or baggy clothes.

Holy fuck – she _is_ pregnant!

 _Well, that answers why she's in such a rush to marry this dude.  
_ I gape at Sophie but quickly try to readjust my look so I don't throw anyone off.

Diana and I rise to meet them. The instant that Sophie's eyes shift from me to Diana, her expression falls. And right away, I know that her mutual jealously is palpable. Part of me is upset to see her with child, but the other half is glad to witness that I still affect her just as much as she affects me.

"Teddy," Sophie says, trying very hard to put on smiley face.

"Hello," I answer, nonchalant.

"I'm Diana, Ted's friend," my guest introduces herself with an extended hand, taking the opportunity away from me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that he would be bringing someone along," Sophie says apologetically. In order not to be rude, she takes Diana's offered hand.

"Sorry," I murmur half-heartedly.

"I hope I'm not intruding," Diana interjects.

" _No_ …no, it's fine," Sophie says, shaking off the awkward jitters.

"The more, the merrier – _right_?" Aiden chuckles.

 _This dude nauseates me._

"I'm Sophie," she starts, facing Diana. "And this is my fiancé Aiden," she says, now looking at me. She then turns to her fiancé. "Aiden, this is Ted…and his friend Diana," she giggles nervously.

After Aiden shakes Diana's hand, he goes in for mine. Reluctantly, I take it.

"Soph has told me so much about you, man. Glad to finally meet you," he beams.

 _Soph?  
_ This motherfucker.

"And I see that congratulations are in order?" Diana poses the concept as she motions over towards Sophie's expanded belly.

 _Fuck, how did I not notice that before!_

I literally want to kick myself. If I realized she was pregnant, that would've made all of the difference and I wouldn't be standing here meeting the asshole that knocked-up the love of my life.

"Thank you… _yes_ ," Sophie says without looking in my direction.

 _Grey, settle down. Get through this lunch. After this, you'll never have to see these people again._

I shake off the nagging thoughts after giving myself a well-needed pep talk.

The four of us take our seats – me next to Diana with Sophie and Aiden across from us. The waitress gets Sophie and Aiden's drink order before heading off.

"So, when are you due?" Diana asks.

 _Really, Diana?  
Really?_

"The end of May, which works out great. Graduation is at the end of this month and our wedding will take place the next day," Sophie says. Aiden wraps his cruddy hipster arm around her shoulder, but strangely she doesn't move into him.

"Wow, that's great," Diana says. "Where's the wedding?"

 _Fenkell, stop it.  
Stop it now._

"We're doing the courthouse thing. We didn't want to bother with all of the family politics that come along with planning a wedding. We just want to get married and start our new life together with our baby boy," Aiden chimes, squeezing Sophie into his side.

I honestly feel like I could throw up all of the food that I have yet to eat.

 _Fuck, Sophie is pregnant.  
Sophie is having a baby boy.  
Sophie is getting married…and not to me._

This hurts. _Bad._

"I see," Diana says with pursed lips, taking in a sip of water.

At this point, I want to stand up and walk out. I don't know how much more of this shit I can take. My whole life is literally sitting right across the table from me. Sophie should be sitting _next_ to me. If anyone told me a year ago that this would be our fate, I would've _never_ believed them.

"So…you two are just friends?" Sophie asks suddenly.

" _Yes_ ," Diana and I say in unison.

"Diana and I intern together at Amazon," I utter.

" _Oh_ ," Sophie says with an unreadable expression.

"Well you two make a _very_ handsome professional couple, if I do say so," Aiden says, tongue in cheek. Sophie looks almost irritated.

 _What did she see in this asshole again?_

….

Diana and I take our time heading back to the office after the most uncomfortable lunch gathering that I've ever been a part of. I don't know if I even got the closure that I was looking for. The whole thing was just… _weird_.

"Did you notice that there was something… _off_ there?" Diana finally says to me during the stroll back.

" _Yeah_ ," I say, still trying to digest what took place back at the restaurant.

Aiden's obviously happy to be with Sophie. I mean, who wouldn't be? She's drop dead gorgeous. Even at nearly eight months pregnant, she's a knockout. But for some reason I'm not getting the same vibes from Sophie towards her fiancé.

"Not just Sophie. I mean, she wasn't all _lovey dovey_ with him," Diana states the obvious. "But there's something about Aiden. He looks like he has… _issues_ ," she says, unable to put the feeling into exact words.

"Fuck yeah he does. He got arrested back in high school for drug possession," I reveal.

"That _totally_ makes sense," she says, relieved that her thoughts have been solidified. "My uncle was on all kinds of shit. I know exactly what that looks like," she says somberly.

The thought makes me sick.

"So she left me for a druggie," I sigh in contemplation.

"I could be totally wrong about this. He's graduating with Sophie this month, right?" she asks. I nod. "Well he could be fine. He's obviously competent enough to stay on track in order to earn his degree. Maybe he just _looks_ like a stoner, but kicked the habit long ago."

I don't think Diana actually believes that. I think she's simply backtracking so that I don't have to be concerned with Sophie moving forward.

* * *

 ** _A/N: In the next chapter, we fast forward three years and find out what post-graduates Ted and Hanson have been up to at GEH. Also, the Grey family has a new addition that may be tiny in stature, but large in personality._** **:)**

 ** _Unlike B &P, Family Business will not be long and drawn out. I predict that we won't go longer than 25 chapters. For one, many of the chapters already average around 10,000 words. Secondly, I fear that making this story any longer will cause it to lose its spark. Besides, I have a treat in my next tale for those of you who are sorely missing 20-something-year-old Christian and Ana. _****;)**

 ** _I will probably update TCB before you see chapter 13 of this story, so please bear with me. Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	13. Chapter 13 - We Are Young

**Chapter 13 – We Are Young**

 _Monday, August 6, 2035  
(3 Years & 4 Months Later)_

 _Ted_

"When do you think you'll start eating cheeseburgers?" I say with a smirk.

My regular Monday lunch companion is seated in the opposite booth as me – propped up by his knees at one of the best burger joints in downtown Seattle.

"Stop making me like what you like," he growls as he masterfully dips half of a torn battered chicken strip into a small cup of honey barbecue sauce.

"But you just had a birthday. You're a _man_ now, Toph. Men eat _cheeseburgers_ , not _chickey nuggets_ ," I tease. I take another chomp out of my stacked burger, careful not to spill any grease on my favorite gray tie or my bright white dress shirt.

"I only turned _three_ , Teddy," he giggles with a mouth full of chicken.

"You could've fooled me," I beam.

My baby brother, Mr. Christopher Carrick Grey – or _Topher_ , which he insists on being called over the former, is 3' 4" tall and about 30 pounds soaking wet. Wearing a retro Iron Man t-shirt and blue jeans, along with his favorite light-up Minions tennis shoes ( _when the hell they'll ever stop making these fucking movies, I haven't the slightest clue_ ) Topher exudes more confidence than a man ten-times his age.

Topher likes what he likes – _and_ he doesn't share his toys with anyone, _thank you very much_. With that said, this little guy is one of my most favorite individuals in the whole wide world, bar none.

"What's my new big sister doing?" he asks in his commanding high-pitched little voice. I snort at his question.

 _Topher's just as bad as our father._

"She's having lunch with friends," I say in a chuckle.

"Why couldn't she eat with us?"

"Because this is _Topher and Ted time_ ," I tell him.

" _Man time_ ," he says in the cutest little machismo voice. I crack up.

 _I love this kid._

"Yes, _man time_ ," I echo.

Topher Grey was sculpted after greatness. Even his initials _CCG_ looked badass as a monogram. I would say that my baby brother was created in our father's own image, except Topher possessed something that Christian Grey did not.

A personality.

"Can I take my chicken home? My driver's coming to get me soon," he says to me.

I quickly check my watch. "So soon?" I say in disappointment. Being that I no longer lived at home with my parents, I was truly missing out on spending time with my little buddy here on a daily basis. _Mondays with Topher_ just seemed so far and few in between.

"Yeah, that lady took too long to bring out our food. You shouldn't tip her very well," he says with a poked out, displeased lip. I crack up laughing. "Daddy will be mad if you're late going back to work."

Again, this kid just turned three. He's _way smarter_ than I was at his age. He'll probably start college at thirteen years old.

"I'm in the middle of a _very important_ lunch meeting with a _very important_ person. And besides, I don't work directly for Dad... _or_ Mom for that matter. I work for Mr. Marco," I remind him with a smile.

"You'll be working for me one day, Teddy," Topher says matter-of-factly as he dips a fry into the lake of ketchup on his plate.

"I don't doubt that," I beam. "Maybe we can work together then…as _equals_?"

"Okay, but I'll be the big boss at Grey House when I grow up," he smiles with a mouthful of little teeth.

Speaking of Grey House, I've been working there full-time in Mergers and Acquisitions for a little under three years. As of last week, I'm slated to replace Marco Ingis as VP of M&A once he retires early next year.

Things have panned out to be better than expected for me at my parents' company. At only 22 years old, I'm making significant moves. But part of me wonders how much more I would accomplish if I were in business for myself. I mean my father was just 21 when he started his company out of nothing. In spite of this, I remain at Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc. in the meantime. Everything's going quite well for me there.

My father offered one of my best friends, my sister's longtime boyfriend a full-time gig once he completed his Business Management degree at UW early last year. Hanson Larkin quickly and deservedly moved up into a management position in no time. Right now, he's one of the managers in the Data Analytics department.

Larkin and I cross paths often on a day-to-day basis. He even refers to any meeting that I'm included in as _"Ted Talks"_ , which is a play on the technology, entertainment, and design media organization. However, it also describes my tendency to take over someone else's meeting if I feel that we're traveling far and fast down the rabbit hole.

 _I absolutely hate it when meeting organizers don't have their shit together._

Regardless, I'm not a total prick. I do like to keep things lighthearted and purposeful in meetings. I simply loathe the boring and the mundane.

One big project on Larkin's plate is a presentation that he's set to give soon to my parents' executive staff. It's a meeting that I'm not even privy to sit in yet until I make VP next year. As a guest presenter, Hanson's spiel will kick off our new _2040 Propel the Future_ initiative. Propel the Future is a buzzword that's quickly sweeping across the entire global organization. If your job description or yearly performance goals include the words _"Propel the Future"_ anywhere in them, you're sitting pretty in the _who's who_ spectrum at GEH.

Hanson and I are constantly touching bases on work related things – but when we're not working, we're touching bases at the nearby park for old time's sake with our company sponsored softball team. We're undefeated so far.

Hanson's girlfriend, my sister Phoebe is an upcoming junior at UW. She works part-time in the data analytics group helping out Hanson and team as needed. The young couple has really taken that department by storm.

People have this impression that I should be jealous of my best friend. I hate to disappoint everyone, but _I'm not_. Also, it doesn't hurt that my father is currently grooming _me_ , his son to take over our family's company.

But still, that doesn't move me. Even today, I don't get butterflies whenever my father tells me: _"Son, soon this will all be yours."_ I immediately think – _No Dad, it's_ _ **yours**_ _._ _ **You**_ _built all of this._

I want something to call my very own.

* * *

 _Ana_

I've been going back and forth on this nagging issue for the longest time.

My OB has been hounding me for the past three years. She thinks that once I have a hysterectomy, it'll solve all of my problems.

I was naïve to think that the hot flashes and pains would suddenly stop after giving birth to Topher. No, my health has progressively been getting worse. My uterus and I have been a team for almost 46 years. It's helped bring five wonderful children into this world.

But _Ana's womb_ is now tired and worn. Today, it's fighting back against me. _Hard_. Finally it has gotten so bad that Christian recently started urging me to pick a time to schedule this major surgery. So this morning, I finally did.

 _I'm scared._

Getting older is terrifying. Having major surgery is even worse. But it's best to get ahead of this thing before it turns into something more devastating. I have to consider my children. I have to think about my husband. I have to look out for myself.

I want to be here long enough to see my youngest get married and start a family.

 _That would mean I'd have to be here long enough to see age 90. Sheesh! Again, what Christian and I were thinking when having a child in our forties, I'll never know._

So, November it is. I'll then take the rest of the year off from Grey House and return there nice and healthy in the New Year.

Just as my spirits plummet at the prospect of getting cut wide open – but not for the purposes of having a baby, my youngest pride and joy enters my office and excitedly runs up to me.

"Mommy!"

"Topher, what are you doing here?" I say, squeezing him tightly to my bosom. He wraps his tiny arms around my neck as I slide from my chair and onto the floor with him.

"Teddy called off the driver and decided to bring me to work with him so we can finish eating lunch in his office," my baby boy beams.

"Oh?" I say with astonishment.

"Yeah. The stupid waitress lady took a _bazillion_ years to bring us our food, so we had to take it back to work in time for Teddy's work call," he says with a little bravado.

"Christopher Carrick...what did I tell you about calling people nasty names?" I lovingly chastise.

"Like when Daddy called the Starbucks man _dumbass_ for messing up his coffee?" he says matter-of-factly.

" _Topher!_ " I gasp.

"Daddy said it, not me," he says, innocently waving his hands in placation.

"I don't care _who_ said it…you aren't to say words like that. And Daddy knows better," I say sternly. As if on queue, the door that adjoins my office and Christian's slowly swings open.

"I thought that was you, Topher," Christian beams down at our youngest child.

"Daddy!" Our son quickly leaves me hanging with my bare knees below my skirt pressed hard against the cold marble floor. He scurries away in order to get scooped up by his father. Holding him in his arms, Christian smacks a loud kiss against Topher's cheek.

"What was your mother just yelling at you about?" Christian sweetly asks our brilliant little boy.

"I wasn't _yelling_ ," I frown.

"Yeah you were," Christian eggs on. I try so damn hard not to roll my eyes at him.

"I said a bad word," Topher bashfully admits. Christian narrows an eye at him, causing the young boy to shudder.

"Now, you know that's not allowed," Christian murmurs with bass in his voice that vibrates the air in my office.

"I know…but I was only saying what you said. You said that Starbucks man was a dumbass."

Christian involuntarily snorts.

" _Christopher!_ " I shout, absolutely horrified.

"Its _Topher_ ," the boy whines in correction.

" _Well, he was_ ," my husband says under his breath.

"Christian," I scowl in stern warning.

"Uh oh, looks like the two of us are in big trouble with Mommy," Christian winks at the little one.

"We're sorry, Mommy," Topher says in the cutest voice, making it very difficult to remain upset at either of them.

"How was your weekly lunch with Ted?" Christian asks as he puts our son down onto his tiny little feet. "Let's sit." Christian settles on the nearby sofa, and Topher climbs up to join him. I saunter over to them and plop down on the other side of Topher.

"It was good, but they took too long to bring out the food."

"I hate when that happens. You should've told them who you were," Christian replies. I shake my head at the both of them.

 _Now Grey, we don't raise our children to act entitled._

"Next time, me and Teddy will have _Monday man-time lunch_ at one of _your_ restaurants," Topher resolves to the two of us. I giggle.

"Great idea. Our staff knows better than to keep the owners' sons waiting," Christian says, egging him on.

 _Good grief._

"Me and Teddy can eat lunch at Club Sahara. I hope Monty knows how to make chickey nuggets." I begin laughing loudly at my insanely witty little man.

"Absolutely. Make sure you tell Ted to have his former roommate treat you _real special_ ," Christian says as he ruffles up Topher's already messy headful of hair. And like the overzealous mother that I am, I attempt to tame our son's hair with my fingers.

"Mommy, are we going to do swimming school this Saturday?" Topher asks, shaking his head so that my hand falls away from hassling with his hair.

I nod at him with a warm smile.

" _Mommy & Me_ swim lessons are almost here, huh?" Christian grins at the two of us.

Yeah, I should've had Topher in that class over a year ago. However, last year was just so hectic at GEH. Now with strong players like Teddy and Hanson on board…and even Phoebe, a lot of the burden has been lifted from Christian's and my shoulders.

I'll only be able to join our son in our Saturday swim class for the next two months. After that, someone will have to take my place until I'm well enough to join Topher back in the pool.

 _Perhaps Phoebe can fill in for me._ I'll ask my eldest daughter right after I tell her that I'm going to have the surgery. I know she's going to freak out about that. She worries about every little thing about me. It's as if she's the mother now and _I'm_ the child.

 _My, how times have changed._

My beautiful daughter who currently resides at the dorms of UW broke the news to me over lunch this afternoon about her and Hanson's quest to land an apartment together near campus. Hell, Christian is still having a tough time dealing with the prospect of them having sex over the past few years – but them actually _living together_? Let's just say that I'm _not_ looking forward to having that conversation with my husband tonight.

Our daughter is a very mature 20-year-old young woman, yet my husband continues to see her as his _little girl_. He needs to remember that I was just a year older than our daughter when _he_ commenced to fuck my brains out.

Phoebe and Hanson are as inseparable as Christian and I were. They're soul mates, just as _we_ are. Hanson was Phoebe's first, and I believe that the way he loves her, he will in fact be her last. Christian was my first _and_ my last. I completely understand what Phoebe is going through better than anyone. However, I didn't meet the love of my life until _after_ college.

"I learned a new trick from Mr. Taylor!" Topher pipes, pulling me out of my reverie. Christian looks at me with an arched brow, knowing good and well that my mind was elsewhere.

 _Oh boy, I hope Topher can stay here all afternoon so I don't have to be subjected to my husband's interrogation over my thoughts. I don't want to have the Phoebe discussion until we're at home and in bed._

"Please, show us," I grin at my baby boy.

"Okay." Topher pulls out a quarter from his pocket and holds it up in his tiny little hand for his father and I to see. He then props his small frame up on his knees while on the sofa and holds the quarter until it's right by my year. He flicks his wrist and then brings his little arm back. There's no quarter in sight. Christian and I both gasp.

"Son, where did the quarter go?" Christian says in astonishment.

"It disappeared. It's magic, Daddy," the three-year-old says proudly.

"Wow, that was wonderful," I says, truly in disbelief. "Mr. Taylor taught you very well."

"I'm going to be the best magician in the world," Topher proclaims.

"Yes you will," I reply, pinching both of his cheeks.

"Do that again," Christian says to Topher, truly flabbergasted.

"Okay. This time Daddy, you give me one hundred dollars and I'll make it disappear. Okay?"

I laugh so hard that my stomach begins to ache.

"No way, but nice try. Besides, I think your sisters Bethany and Brianna can make Daddy's money disappear faster than even _you_ can," Christian smirks.

Our twin daughters Beth and Brie are upcoming high school seniors and an absolute handful. I've never wanted time to speed up so fast as I do now. I'm so ready for the two of them to go away to college and free the house of their daily teenage drama-fest.

 _Was I that much of a drama queen as a teenage girl?  
If so, I owe both my mother and Ray a sincere apology. _

The two of them combined make Phoebe's teenage years seem like a walk in the park. Overall, Phoebe was the perfect kid. In fact, once Phoebe was able to start dating Hanson, Christian and I never had any problems with her. She graduated high school a semester early and was able to jump right into school at UW on a full academic scholarship. She now works part-time during some evenings helping Hanson's department with some very extensive data mining exercises in preparation for _2040 Propel the Future_.

But Brie and Beth? Let's just say that they are more of a challenge. For one, Teddy and Phoebe both have experience working part-time at GEH during high school. The twins made it more than clear to us that they want _nothing_ to do with Grey House – which is fine. However, they don't understand why their father and I have been tied up for the past few months, along with their older brother and sister. If they were working along side us, they'd understand how important the 2040 PTF initiative is to the company.

They don't want to understand it. Instead, the twins rather we just drop everything and be present at their every beck and call. It's because when they were little, all of us jumped whenever they asked us to. When Brie chipped a nail, Phoebe was there. When Beth stubbed her baby toe on the dinner table's leg, Christian would carry her around like a wounded veteran.

I've taken many days off from work simply because Brie and Jesse Rogers had broken up _two months_ before homecoming dance. I shudder recalling that unbearable time period in our household. _Brie was constantly in tears._ Never mind that the two would eventually get back together and have the time of their lives at the dance, only for Brie to dump Jesse again a week later for no apparent reason at all.

It wasn't until Christian and I saw the confused look in our youngest son's face at how our daughters would act out that we decided ' ** _No more_** _'_. The change of the guard was kicked off when Christian grounded Brie for two weeks after she got snarky with me about the new curfew I had set for her and her sister. From that point on, Christian and I were their enemies.

Now, I don't want to give the impression that it's all fire and brimstone in our home. There are more good days than bad. Most of the time, we have two sweet seventeen-year-old young ladies. But when their hormones kick in – and thankfully they are both in sync – it's literally a bloodbath. Two teenage girls with monster periods is a deadly combination.

Christian's sexy salt-and-pepper hair is no more. It's _all salt_ these days. Thank goodness Topher takes it easy on his old folks. We couldn't handle _three_ demon children at home.

There's a small rap on my main office door. Christian narrows his eyes, but I know exactly who it is.

"Come in!" I call out.

One of the double doors swings wide open revealing a trusty Jason Taylor.

"Mrs. Grey…Mr. Grey," he nods at the two of us. I smile and Christian nods back at his longtime employee. "Mr. Topher Grey, are you ready to head home now?"

"No, I wanna stay here and work," Topher plops down from his knees, landing on his butt. He folds his arms in protest.

 _I knew this was going to happen._

"Son, you know you can work from home, right?" Christian says sweetly, reaching out to pat him on his little back.

"I can?"

"Absolutely. Mommy and I do it all the time."

"Can you and Mommy come home and work with me now?" I laugh at his charm.

"I'll be home two hours after you. Promise," I say as I kiss him on his cheek.

"And I'll join her an hour after that," Christian backs up.

"Okay. So what should I work on?" Topher asks his father.

"I'm running low on Topher Grey original artwork. How about you have Mrs. Taylor help you to construct a new masterpiece for my office?" Christian proposes.

"Yes! Mr. Topher Grey will do that!" I cackle every time my sweet boy refers to himself in the third-person. "You want one too, Mommy?"

"Absolutely. It would make Mommy sad if Daddy gets a new picture and I don't get one," I tell him with a pouty lip.

"You'll get one too then. Let's go, Mr. Taylor. I have work to do," Topher declares as he makes his way over to Taylor.

"Don't forget to ask Miss Lola for your jacket," I say. The order is mostly for Taylor to handle, so he nods to me in acknowledgement.

Christian and I kiss Topher goodbye before he and Taylor head out, shutting the door behind them.

"So," Christian starts, eyes zoomed in on me as he slides over closer on the couch.

 _Oh dear._

I've known this man for over two decades. I know that he knows what I'm thinking. He knew right away that I was distracted. This is phase #1 of _Project: Interrogate Ana_.

"Ted volunteered to fill in for me at the late auditing meeting. That means I can be home at a decent hour tonight."

I gape at my husband. It wasn't what I was expecting him to say. However, this information doesn't please me. Don't get me wrong…I'm happy that my husband gets to go home at a decent hour. However, I don't like that he's doing so at our son's expense.

Teddy has been working late every single night for the past two months. I know that it's been years since he's lived at home, but still – I don't want him getting into the habit of becoming the workaholic that his father is. I'm glad that our son has recently decided to settle down with one girl, but if he wants to keep _said girl_ in his life, he needs to get home at an acceptable hour during the week. And he needs to stop working every single weekend.

"Christian, _why_? Why is Teddy working late again?" I say, flabbergasted.

"He's determined. He's our son," he answers with pride gleaming in his gorgeous gray eyes.

"I know, but don't you think that's unhealthy for such a young man? What about his girlfriend?" I counter.

"Knowing her, she's probably working later than he is," Christian beams, pulling me into him. He plants his lips on my forehead. I decide to change the subject.

"By the way, I've finally scheduled my surgery for November 9th."

Christian drops his arms and turns to face me. His eyes are searching mine.

"Baby, it's going to be okay – you know that, right?" he says. But from the look on his face, he doesn't seem to be so sure of this himself. My eyes fall but his fingers push my chin back upward. His eyes lock into mine.

"Yes, I'll be okay. This will be good. I'll stop feeling so ill all the damn time," I say to him.

"You have multiple fibroid tumors now, Ana. Surgery…it's for the best," Christian says. Again, it's as if he's trying to convince himself.

"I know," I softly reply. His arm wraps around my waist and he pulls my body even closer to his. His lips softly touch mine before he goes in for a deeper kiss. I hook my wrists behind his neck.

"I love you so much, Bunny," he exhales after briefly pulling away.

" _I know_ ," I whisper before he kisses me passionately once more.

….

"What brings you in this neighborhood?" I say as I release my best friend from a hug.

Actually, Kate and her longtime love Elliot – my brother-in-law don't live too far from here.

"Thought I'd swing by and eat a delicious home cooked meal since Elliot won't be home early enough to cook us dinner. And he sure as hell doesn't want me poising the two of us." I laugh. "So hopefully you have enough for me to take home to him as well," she says with a sly smirk.

"But of course, Madame. We here at _Chez Grey_ aim to please," I say in jest before I curtsy. Kate laughs and then follows me into the kitchen as I help Gail put the finishing touches on dinner.

"Hi Mrs. Taylor," Kate greets.

"Miss Kavanagh, hello! So glad you could join us. Will Mr. Grey be joining us as well?" Mrs. Taylor asks. I narrow my eyes.

"Christian's already home," I say under my breath, confused.

"I think she meant the _other_ _Mr. Grey_. The one she _doesn't_ work for," Kate laughs. Mrs. Taylor giggles and then nods. _Silly me._ I chuckle. "No but if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to take some of this yummy goodness home to him," Kate says as she stares ravenously into the pot.

"It's Gail's special marinara recipe. We got the meatballs going over here," I say, pointing over to a massive frying pan. "Shortly, she'll plop those bad boys in with the sauce. I'm going to get the fresh noodles started in the pasta press over there," I gesture over to where the dough is currently rising in a large covered bowl. "Gail baked fresh bread this morning, so I'm going to slice that up and put my special garlic spread over it and pop those babies in the broiler."

"Me thinks that I just died and gone to heaven. Can I bring you and Mrs. Taylor home with me?" Kate says without a hint of humor lingering on her face.

"You'll have to battle my husband and our three youngest first," I say, clicking my tongue before turning back over to the meatballs.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Kate asks, looking helpless.

"No!" I involuntary shout. I'm sorry, but my best friend and former roommate can't even boil water correctly. _I_ did all of the cooking for us throughout college.

"Well _alrighty then_ ," Kate says, feigning disappointment.

"Auntie Kate!" Topher calls out before barging into the kitchen. His arms are flailing as he tightly grips a sheet of paper in his hand. And like the wonderful aunt that she is, Kate bends down to scoop her nephew into a great big hug.

"Topher! What's that you got?" she asks, kissing him on the cheek before placing him back down. She kneels down to his level.

"I was at the office today, and Daddy let me leave early and work from home," he simply says.

"Is this a major project?" Kate asks, playing along.

"Yep. It's a big project for Grey House. Here's one I designed for Daddy's office. But I can't show him yet. It's not finished." Topher then proceeds to show Aunt Kate the big boat he drew. I sneak a peak and it absolutely looks like a sweet little three-year-old drew it. Topher snatches it away and hides it from my view.

"You can't look, Mommy," he scolds.

"But it's not for me. That's for Daddy, right?" I say with a little sad voice.

"Yeah, but you aren't 'sposed to see it until our meeting. I'll show you and Daddy your projects at the meeting," he says as he pokes out his little chest.

"Well okay then. I look forward to our meeting, Mr. Topher Grey," I say as I place a kiss on the top of his head.

"I'll be back for dinner. Gotta hide this before Daddy sees it," he calls before scurrying back out of the kitchen.

"That kid's a riot," Kate chuckles.

"Isn't he? It's the cutest thing. He wants to start wearing suits now, just like his daddy," I say as I journey over to the pasta station. Kate follows.

"It's entirely too cute now. I just hope that he doesn't grow up to become a little douchebag," Kate murmurs.

"Kate!" I gasp.

" _Well_ …"

"He won't. I won't allow it. I'm determined to keep him grounded. I hope I'm well enough to work the soup kitchen for Thanksgiving this year. If so, it'll be Topher's first time doing it with us."

"What do you mean by _'well enough'_?" Kate says with an arched brow.

 _Oh, she doesn't know yet._

"I'm having a hysterectomy the second Friday in November," I announce.

I can hear the large wooden spoon cease from stirring the sauce as Gail stills over the stove. This is her first time hearing about this too.

"Ana," Kate whispers as she tugs me into her with one arm.

"It's fine," I assure her. "It's necessary. My fibroids are getting bigger and the perimenopause is getting progressively worse. Christian knew it was bad when the doctor showed him the results of my MRI. He insisted on surgery along with the doctor. I thought – _why couldn't they just remove the tumors_? But it's way too bad now. And they fear that it could potentially become… _something else_ ," I say, avoiding the utterance of the scariest word on the planet. It's a word that if it ever came up in any diagnosis of mine, Christian would absolutely go insane.

"Oh, _Ana_ ," Kate sighs, pulling me into a sound hug. I hug her back.

"I'll be totally fine three to four weeks after surgery. This'll be good," I assure her. I look over and see Gail's sunken expression. I hold my hand out to Kate, letting her know that I'll need a minute and I slowly walk over to my longtime housekeeper. If anything else, Gail and Jason are family. When we Greys hurt, _they_ hurt. I surprise Mrs. Taylor by wrapping my arm around her apron-strapped waist. She then slumps and leans her tied back blond head against my shoulder.

"I'll be as good as new, Gail. No worries, okay?" I say softly with a loving smile. She nods, and I can tell that she's holding back tears. She clears her throat and tries to shake off the somber feeling.

"My sister had the same surgery years ago. Everything went fine for her. It's just…I wasn't expecting to overhear anything like that just now," Mrs. Taylor says in a sweet voice. "You're so healthy, Ana. It goes to show that it can happen to anyone."

I nod. "Yes it can, but it's fine. The doctors are just going to close down this _Grey Baby Factory_ for good, which isn't entirely a bad thing," I say with a smirk. And it's enough to make the two ladies laugh. I leave Gail to her cooking while I go back over to the pasta station to start pressing.

"Maybe we can get _that_ Grey Baby Factory up and running," I wink over at Kate, pointing to her belly. She laughs.

"Oh – I knew I meant to tell you something," Kate says jerking from her mental light bulb, which startles me.

"Christian's guy Welch reached out to me the other day. It appears that things are getting hot and heavy between Tom and his young new Russian girlfriend," she reveals with a scandalous grin.

" _Really_? Is it _hot and heavy_ enough for that jackass to finally sign those damn divorce papers after all these years?" I scowl.

"Let's hope so. I just got sick and tired of the legal nightmare that he was putting me through. The threats to sue me and my parents for slander, it was too much."

"Christian wasn't too pleased when you and Elliot shooed away our legal team. They were willing to fight tooth and nail for you," I remind her.

"We explained to Christian that my job at the station was on the line. How would it look like for the rival news stations to cover my marital woes? KOMO would have no choice _but_ to send me on paid leave in order to mitigate the scandal on their side. And we all know that _paid leave_ is the just the first step on the way to _permanent leave_."

But in spite of Kate's sham of a marriage to Tom still lingering in the backdrop, her and Elliot are going stronger than ever. The two of them make a fantastic team. I just hope that we'll finally get that Elliot and Kate wedding that we've all been waiting for since… _forever_.

* * *

 _Ted_

Up until two weeks ago, I was roommates with Monty. It so happens that Monty, one of my very good friends from high school is currently working hard as a junior sous chef at Club Sahara, which is one of the many establishments that my folks own. So in spite of us no longer living together, I'm sure I'll see my boy Monty Carlo on the regular when I stop by Sahara's for lunch with Topher, or perhaps even during a romantic dinner with the girlfriend.

Today, I live extremely close to work. Now that I'm all moved into my own place, I feel like I'm finally becoming a grownup. Even though technically, my dad still owns the place that I reside in. However, I hope to one day buy it from him.

You see – I've always adored the charm of this penthouse since I was just a wee little lad. It's centrally located. Going for morning runs along Elliott Bay or simply walking over to Pike Place Market for a drink and not having to worry about driving home is just some of the wonderful perks of living here.

As I stand in the great room admiring the beauty of the Seattle skyline through the floor to ceiling windows, I can hear the elevator ding behind me. I spin around in sweet anticipation.

I smell her sweet scent before I even see her.

"Hey," I say to her.

"Hi," she beams through her gorgeous red lips.

She saunters over to me and greets me with a lingering sweet kiss to my mouth, in which I eagerly return the favor.

"Mmm… _cherry_ ," I say, tasting her flavored lip-gloss.

"So what's for dinner, honey?" she purrs.

" _You_ ," I murmur. She kisses me again.

"Well, what's for dinner _before_ you have me," she clarifies.

"Whatever you want. I was just waiting for you," I say with a smirk.

"I figured you'd already cooked dinner for me since I had to work late."

" _Shit_ – my bad. I'd assume we'd grab a quick bite," I respond apologetically.

"That's our Friday routine. It's only Monday," she reminds me.

"I had to sit in a late meeting for Dad. I'll cook something tonight. But next time, it'll be our newly hired housekeeper doing all of the cooking," I wink.

"I'll change into something else and help you," she says as she kisses my cheek. I steal one last kiss from her tempting red lips. "Stop it, or we'll both starve," she chuckles.

"I don't think I could ever starve tasting you," I flirt.

"Ted, you're _so bad_ ," she chastises, attempting to ward off the biggest smile ever.

I playfully slap her on the ass and she moans as she heads over to our bedroom.

If someone would've told me three years ago that I'd fall for someone and eventually move in with them at the ripe young age of 22, I would have shot them for badly impersonating one of _Dionne Warrick's Psychic Friends_. No clue who Dionne Warrick is…or any of her _friends_ , but Grandma Carla used to joke about these old commercials all the time.

But seriously – just three years ago, I was hell bent on a blonde angel named Sophie. And even though that very same angel tore my heart into many pieces, there was still some shadow of hope in me that wanted her to turn around and come back to me. After finally severing ties with Sophie, I have no idea what her, her husband, or their kid are up to these days. My sister Phoebe could no longer stand Sophie after hearing about how she'd broken her big brother's heart.

Today, no one in my family even utters the name _Sophie_.

So upon completing my internship at Amazon three years ago, I buried myself in school until I graduated that December. The moment I grabbed my diploma from the dean at Stanford, I headed straight home to Seattle and begin working full-time at GEH in Mergers and Acquisitions, where I kicked ass and quickly made the rise up to management.

All the while, I kept in touch with my good friend Diana Fenkell from Amazon. We would talk at least once a week over the phone or video, but we texted daily.

A year and a half ago, Diana completed her degree at WSU Vancouver. One of the many jobs across the country that she put in for was the New Graduate Program at Grey Enterprises Holding, Inc. I vouched for her and GEH made her an offer that she couldn't refuse – which also included a sweet sign-up bonus and a full relocation package from Vancouver.

Diana's first rotation in the one-year NGP landed her in finance, just as my mother had done over two decades prior. Today Diana is done with the NGP and she's permanently placed as a lead analyst in the data analytics group. Coincidently, she's now reporting to my sister's longtime boyfriend and one of my best friends Hanson.

Miss Fenkell comes from a good family and she is smart as a whip. Also, she's just as gorgeous as she was the day that I met her at the club three years ago. It was the night we had sex once and only once.

That was until six months ago.

After hanging out late one night at her place, we begin reminiscing about the night we met and things got a little steamy between the two of us. We ended up reliving that night five times over. I made her come countless times that night, and gave her another refresher when we woke up in her bed that following morning.

Since then, we've been fucking all of the time. This girl is stimulating in so many ways – _body_ and _mind_. So it wasn't surprising to me the moment I started to see myself in a monogamous situation with her. I was getting tired of all of the random booty calls. I wanted to be able to put one face and one name to my life outside of work.

Although, Diana and I were very good friends, she was well aware of my sexual exploits with the girls that I would randomly meet at bars on the meet-and-fuck apps. She knew that there were others, but she would never call me out on it.

So that day six months ago when I finally asked Diana out on a real date…her response?

 _"I was wondering how many years it would take for you to ask me out," she smiled brightly._

Then she said:

 _"You know…if we start going out together, you'll have to call all of your little admirers and tell them that the_ _ **Theodore Grey Fun Shop**_ _is now closed."_

I laughed at her at the time.

 _"Fair enough. Seriously, I think that this is the beginning of something really special here."_

 _"Do you, now?" she purred with a teasing smirk._

I remember nodding back then with a smile before kissing her hard on the mouth.

It's crazy how our lives seemingly mirror the lives of my parents. My dad liked Diana from the second he met her. One day, he even told me that she's as feisty as Mom was when _they_ first met.

Today, my girlfriend and I are now living in the very place where my parents began their lives together. I was beyond floored when I mentioned to my folks that Diana and I were looking for a place together, and my dad immediately offered up his Seattle penthouse to us.

These days, things are going quite well between my father and I. Well, whenever he's not pushing _the business_ or _my relationship_ in my face and saying shit like…

 _"You know son, I proposed to your mother two and a half months after our first official date. You've been dating Diana for what…six months now?"_

It's as if my father is anxious to set his legacy in motion, starting with Diana and me. He truly desires for us to be the next _Christian and Anastasia Grey_. He sees how hard the two of us work and it brings him so much pride and joy.

My sweet mother on the other hand tells me to just ignore Dad altogether. She continues to urge Diana and I to _take things slow_ and to _just_ _enjoy the moment_.

 _"There's no rush to get married. There's plenty of time later for that.  
You're both so young. Just have fun and enjoy each other."_

And tonight, that's exactly what I'm going to do.

 _I'm going to enjoy the fuck out of Diana Fenkell in our bed tonight._

….

" _Ahhh_!"

She cries out my name during her intense orgasm, and I come deep inside of her.

 _Birth control shots, for the win._

" _Shit_ ," I say in a breathless gasp. Her insides continue to pulsate all around me as her orgasm stretches and stretches, shattering her.

"Fuck…Grey…you're a _god_ in the sack," she pants a few moments later.

"And that's why you're my girlfriend. You adore my very large cock and what I can do with it," I say as I lay a kiss on her mouth. I can feel her smile as she kisses me back.

"You know, you can be a pompous prick sometimes Grey, but you tell no lies," she chuckles. I pull out of her and she moans. I then lay besides her, tugging her into my arm. She rests her head on my shoulder after planting two kisses on my naked chest.

"You like it when I'm a pompous prick, don't you?" I tease.

"Sometimes it's kinda hot. Other times, I want to strangle you with my bare hands."

I laugh. "Making you want to strangle me isn't a top goal of mine. Please call me out as soon as I head in that direction," I say, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Oh, you know I will," she beams up at me. "I forgot to ask…how did _man lunch_ go with _Mr. C. Grey Junior_?"

"Fantastic, as usual. He asked about you. Wondered why you hadn't joined us. In fact, he wanted you to ditch your lunch friends for us."

Diana bursts out in laughter. "I love that kid. I hope my future kid is just like him."

"Me too. Everyone needs a _Topher Grey_ in their life. He also gave me some sound career advice before later breaking the news that he'll one day be my boss."

Diana laughs even louder. "What exactly did he say?"

"He just gave me his thoughts on a few things. Oh, he did say that I can have Dad's office and you can have Mom's after we're married. He plans on constructing a 21st floor where his entire office will reside," I laugh.

"What!" she gapes while fighting a huge grin. I nod in sheer amusement.

"He's as bad as his father, that one," I smirk.

Diana face falls, and concern immediately grows in my gut.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing," she says, brushing it off.

"You know you're a terrible liar, Fenkell. You're way too honest. Why don't you just spill? You know that we don't keep secrets," I remind her. She leans more into me and I wrap my arms tightly around her bare waist.

"I get the feeling sometimes that you have something against marriage," she finally fesses. I wince at her words.

"Why do you think that?"

"It seems that you hate it every time your father brings it up."

"I don't want him to control us. We'll get married at our own time – that's if you want that," I backtrack. She says nothing in reply; she only buries her head deeper into my chest.

 _Holy shit.  
She actually wants to marry me._

" _Are_ …are you wanting to get married any time soon?" I ask her with a stutter. I'm a bucket of nerves now.

"Not _now_ ," she says in shock. Relief instantly floods me.

"But one of these days, I'm going to snatch you up for good, _Playboy Teddy_ ," she says with a twinkle in her eye. I lean down to kiss her soundly.

"I'd want nothing more, _Delectable Diana_ ," I moan. "It'll happen when the time is right. You'll see. Just stick around," I say with smoldering eyes.

"I'm not going _anywhere_ ," she vows with a purr before rolling her sexy naked body on top of mine. She devours my mouth with hers.

And when I'm hard for her once more, she rides me until the sun nearly rises.

* * *

 _Saturday, August 11, 2035_

 _Ana_

"Ready, Topher?" I ask as I take my little boy by the hand.

"Topher was born _ready_ ," he says in the cutest little grown man voice. I beam wide.

My little one and I clack against the tile floor in our flip-flops, donning our swimwear as we enter the child pool area of the aquatic center. Above is a massive skylight that reflects the Saturday sun in the blue water.

" _Wowwww_ ," Topher gasps.

His little blue eyes hone in directly at the side of the aquatic center where many tall spouts spray all over the screaming and excited small children running through them. It's where they can also go down a big slide that leads into a waiting pool. There's a huge blue bucket that resides on top of the slide that fills up with water every so often, only to dump a tidal wave onto to those who dare to wait underneath it after the bell sounds. Immediately, I feel my son's little arm tugging me away from where we are actually supposed to be.

"Topher, swim class is right here – _not_ down there."

"But Mommy, I want to go over _there_!"

"We're here to teach you how to swim. We can do the fun stuff later, okay? Just forty-five minutes of swim class. Then we're free to do whatever you'd like," I promise.

We both line up with the other moms and kids as a young lady checks each one off of the list. After our names are found, Topher and I follow instructions and strap him into a life vest before we both and climb into the 2 ½ foot deep section of the pool.

 _Geez, they are extra careful here. Topher's actually taller than the water is here._

However, there are some kids who are smaller and younger than Topher is. After the instructor climbs into the pool, she blows her whistle, calling all moms and their kiddos around her in a circle. She starts off by showing everyone how to kick by holding themselves against the edge of the pool. Pretty soon, all of the kids are doing it as moms all around hold them steady by the torso against the wall so that they don't float away.

Topher is having a blast learning how to swim, and I can't help but smile at him. At the fifteen-minute mark, the instructor tells everyone to go ahead and take a ten-minute break.

"Can we go over there?" one little girl asks her mom. The instructor overhears and smiles at her.

"Yes, you can all go over to the _play pool_. But when I blow the whistle, I'll need you all to come back over here."

" **Yay!** " a chorus of children squeal with glee, my child included.

Quickly, Topher climbs up the ladder and scurries over to the other side.

"Topher, don't run!" I call out. But he ignores me. He jumps into the fun pool like a maniac. _Good Lord._

I sit back at the edge of the pool and watch my son go down the slide a couple of times. I wish I had my phone with me in order to take pictures to send to his father and siblings. _Oh, and the grandparents._ The kid is having an absolute blast.

"Look Mommy!"

"I see, sweetie! You're doing so great!"

 _I wish he'd take off that life jacket. I don't want him getting stuck in that slide._

After a few times of going down the slide, he meets up with another little boy and the two of them take turns running through the spraying water. Topher holds down the kid's arms and says something to him before the boy cracks up laughing. Then lo and behold, the two of them climb up the slide as a duo.

Not far from me, an older woman with blond hair is watching the two boys with a small smile on her face. I recognize that it's the same woman who was in the pool with the little boy who is now fast friends with my Topher.

Looking at the woman, she could either be a much older mom to the boy, or his young grandmother. It's really hard to tell. I stand in the pool and walk over to her.

"My son Topher is really good at making fast friends," I say, breaking the ice with the woman. She faces me and smiles.

"It's funny, because Ronan _isn't_. He's very shy," she says.

"How old is he?" I ask.

"Three."

"So is Topher. That's so cool," I beam.

"It is," she smiles in return.

"How long has Ronan been in swim class?" I ask.

"For about two weeks. He loves it here."

"Today's Topher's first day."

"Yeah, we hadn't seen him the other two times, so I figured that he was brand new. Your son seems very sweet," she complements.

"Thank you. He is. He's my fifth child," I say proudly.

"Five, huh? Does he have anyone under him?"

"No, he's the last. Our oldest is 22."

" _Jesus_ ," she says, but quickly covers her mouth in embarrassment.

"No worries, I get that reaction all the time," I giggle. "Under my 22-year-old son are our three daughters – ages 20 and 17. The 17-year-olds are twins."

"Unbelievable. You don't even look like you're old enough to have grown children," she says in awe.

"You're too sweet," I blush.

"So, Topher must've come by surprise, huh," the kind lady beams.

" _And how_ ," I laugh.

"Again, he's so well behaved."

"You must've missed it when he was running wild down here after I told him to _stop_ ," I chuckle.

"Boys will be boys. Still, I think you should write a book on raising well-behaved children. I don't know about the others, but if they're as sound as Topher, you need to spill all of your secrets," she laughs.

"Ronan seems really well-behaved too. Maybe you can co-write that book with me," I giggle. Her face falls.

"I just hope to get it right this time. Ronan's actually my grandson," she reveals. My heart falls into my stomach.

 _Where's his mother?_

"Still, I'm watching Ronan right now and he seems like the sweetest little guy," I say to her.

"He has a long road ahead of him. His father's been in jail for about a year now."

 _Oh no!  
How sad!_

"I'm so sorry. Is Ronan's father your son?"

"Oh, _God no_ ," the woman gasps.

" _Oh_ ," I say in shame.

I feel intrusive. This woman who I just met is telling me some tragic and personal information. However for some reason, she continues to spill as if it's the first opportunity she's had to lift this torment off of her chest.

"My daughter is Ronan's mother. Right now, she's also in a bad predicament. She's not in jail, but I have temporary custody of Ronan until DSS clears her."

My heart truly breaks for this woman. I hope that she has others helping her while Ronan's parents are going through what they are going through. All I can say in the moment as my eyes zoom in on the sweet little brown-haired boy playing with mine…

" _Ronan_ – what a handsome little name for such a handsome little boy."

The two of us just stand there, watching him; wondering about him. Pretty soon, the whistle sounds from the other side of the aqua-arena. It's a call to reassemble in the _Mommy & Me_ swim class' training pool.

"By the way, I'm Ana. My son Topher – his name's short for _Christopher_."

I extend my hand and shake the kind grandmother's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Ana. I'm Shannon," she says with a melancholic grin.

My heart stutters. I wished there was something that I could do to help this kind stranger and her adorable little grandson. I mean…her little boy is the same exact age as _my_ little boy.

 _It would absolutely break my heart if any child of mine had to endure such misfortune._

But instead of jumping the gun and helping out a total stranger as I am known to do, I silently wish to run into this woman and her grandchild in the next few classes. It's the only way I'll get to know her a little bit better and decide if offering to help will do that family more good than harm.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Next, Topher is excited to tell everyone who will listen about his new best friend from swim class. Then, a blast from Ted's past surprises him at work and pleads for his help._**

 ** _Also, one of the new breeds at GEH disappoints Christian. Uh oh! Will it be Ted, Diana, Hanson, or Phoebe? Stay tuned!_**

 ** _I hope to have the next chapter out early this week since I'll have plenty of time to write it. Thanks everyone for reading! – ST2_**


	14. Chapter 14 - Hiding My Heart

**Chapter 14 – Hiding My Heart**

 _Monday, August 13, 2035_

 _Ted_

"Why, don't you look mighty handsome in that suit!" beams the young, _very_ attractive blond hostess as she places the menus down on both sides of the table.

"Thank you," I smile. She narrows her eyes at me and I chuckle. "Oh, you mean _him_ ," I say downtrodden, nodding over towards my little brother.

In pure Topher fashion, he ignores the complement and quickly hops into the seat of his choice. By default, I plop into the empty one across from him and scoot in towards the table.

My baby brother decided to go _all-business_ for our _Monday Man-Time_ lunch meeting – sporting a heather gray vest and pants, a blue dress shirt rolled up at the sleeves, and a Yale blue and white striped tie. It's safe to say that he's sided with his Ivy League of choice, already making up in his mind where he'll be attending in the next decade. _Grandma Grace Trevelyan Grey would be pleased._

Oh, but the _pièce de résistance_ has to be…

"Oh my God – even your little shoes light up!" the girl squeaks, gushing obsessively over my little brother.

Yes, those _god-blessed_ Minions tennis shoes. No matter what Topher wears, he always has to throw them into the equation. He ignores the hostess once more and focuses on the menu placed before him.

I'm certain that he can't read it yet, so I figure he's just hunting for a photograph of chicken nuggets somewhere. I'm not sure he'll find it in a Club Sahara menu, one of my parents' higher-end clubs.

"Your waiter will be right with you," the blonde beams at the two of us.

"Is Monty Montague working today in the kitchen?" I ask.

"I believe so."

"Please tell him that Ted's here."

"And Topher!" my companion instantly chimes in – but he still doesn't look up from his menu.

" _Daww_! Topher is such an awesome name," the blonde swoons. "Is that your real name, little man – or is that your nickname?"

Topher doesn't respond. I smile in humor. "It's short for _Christopher_ ," I answer on his behalf. The blonde places her hands over her heart and sighs with stars in her eyes. Apparently it's just _cuteness overload_ for her.

"Topher. Topher Grey," the boy insists. "Where's the chickey nuggets in here?" he says with a concentrating frown.

She laughs. "Well _Topher Grey_ , I'm not sure but I'll send your waiter right over and check for Monty, okay?" she smiles big and wide. Topher nods but still combs the menu far and wide.

Topher better watch his back because I think this bird wants to take him home. She wouldn't be the first hot girl to ever wish for that. My kid brother macks on the chicks better than I ever could, and he does it without even trying.

Just then, the blonde turns her attention to me.

"You're Ted _Grey_ , I presume?" she says with flirty eyes. I catch those same eyes slyly searching my left hand on the table.

"That would be me," I say with a smirk.

"Topher's dad?" she asks with a satiny voice.

"Uh, _no_ – he's my brother. Do you think that I look old enough to be his father?" I say teasingly. She blinks and then blushes.

"I figured you were quite young – but you never know. I knew that you had to be related because you are both _very_ cute," she says sweetly with fluttering lashes.

"Well, thank you," I wink. My lips twitch and her skin blushes even more.

"So _'Grey'_ …are you two related to the owners?" she asks.

 _What is this?  
Twenty-one questions?_

"Yes," I say simply.

"Christian Grey is my Daddy and Ana Grey is my Mommy," Topher interjects. He's actually looking at the hostess now.

She blinks and then clears her throat. " _Oh_. Well welcome back to Club Sahara. I'm new here…as if you couldn't tell," she laughs nervously. "I'm Laura, by the way."

"You're doing just fine, Laura. And thank you," I murmur with a side grin. I can hear her sucking in the air through her mouth before she clears her throat once more and adjusts her posture.

"Um… I'll get your waiter and check on Monty," she beams before turning on her heel.

"She talks too much," Topher says after she's far away enough. I chuckle.

"Easy, tiger. She's just nervous. She's new," I reason.

"She likes you. Her face was changing colors."

I laugh. "Actually, I think she likes you more. She was talking to you first until you gave her the _cold shoulder_. You shouldn't do that to the ladies, Toph," I rib.

"Girls are _yucky_ ," he frowns in distaste. "She's a thot."

I gape at him. "Where in the world did you ever learn that word? That's not a very nice thing to say." And part of me wants to laugh, but then I don't want him going home and saying that around Mom and have her blaming me for teaching it to him.

" **Dude!** "

Looking up to find the source of that voice, I see my boy Monty approaching us. He's decked out in all white looking pretty legit as a junior sous chef. But I know better; Monty will always be the wisecracking asshat regardless of what he has on.

I stand and we slap hands before pulling each other into a one-arm bro hug. He then gives Topher a fist pound.

"So Topher my man, Miss Laura tells me that you have a special request for me," Monty says kneeling down, leaning against my brother's side of the table.

"Chickey nuggets?" he says as if it's a question. But if anyone knows my baby brother, it's _never_ a question with him; it's a command.

"Piece of cake. I got you," he says, pounding his chest. He then turns to me. "What about you, douchebag?"

I narrow my eyes at him and discretely do a slicing motion to the neck.

 _Not in front of the kid, Monty._

"I'll have that chicken, sundried tomato penne dish," I tell him, unsure of what the exact name is.

"Excellent choice, sir," he says in a playful regal accent. "Make sure that you still relay your order to the waiter. I'll go ahead and get started."

"Sweet," I reply.

Ten minutes later, Topher and I are already digging into lunch. _Monty's the man._ He even stops by to check in on us after our waiter leaves. Taking a break from the kitchen, he slides a chair in next to Topher.

"So, how's the chicken tenders? I made them especially for you," he grins. With a mouth full of chicken, Topher mumbles something unintelligible. Monty and I laugh.

"Obviously no complaints here," I chuckle.

"Another satisfied customer," Monty beams. "So…where's _Miss Booty for Days_? I was hoping to lay eyes on her this afternoon," he says with a double wink.

"I appreciate your concern for my girlfriend Monty, but chill on the objectification," I say with a smile not touching my eyes.

"Bro, you know that I'm just playing. But all joking aside, she does indeed have a nice fatty," he says, letting his voice trail off. I smirk at him.

Topher starts laughing out of nowhere. Both Monty and I stare at him in amusement.

"Diana has a _big butt_!" he giggles.

Monty practically loses it. I want to join him, but I fight to maintain my composure. After all, I'm supposed to be the big brother who's the positive influence.

And besides, I thoroughly enjoy my sweet Diana's voluptuous derriere. It's even gotten slightly larger as I've made it an _area of focus_ during our all-night sexcapades. The key to a nice ass? Two words.

 _Doggy style._

"How do you even know what a _fatty_ is, Toph?" I say with a pursed lip.

"Monty told me. And he told me what a _thot_ is," he says matter-of-factly.

Monty snorts and covers his mouth. I shake my head in disappointment. _I should've never left my kid brother alone with this asshole for longer than a minute back when we were roommates._

"Now don't tell that to your parents. They might just fire me," Monty chuckles.

"No, _tell them_ ," I say to my brother.

"Thanks a lot, Ted," Monty smirks. "So, you two love birds have been settled in at that lush _love nest_ for about three weeks now. When should I expect my invite to the _wedding of the century_?"

"Monty… _don't_ ," I say, exasperated.

" _What_?" he says, feigning innocence.

"I get enough of that from the old man. Answer me this: When are _you_ getting married? Let's talk about that," I say, turning the tables around.

"Last I checked, you needed at least two people in order to do that," he winks.

"You can marry _Samantha_ ," I suggest with a devilish grin.

"I don't think King County issues certificates of marriage to inanimate objects," he says with his head tilted upward and a finger on his chin, pretending to ponder.

" _Love is love_ , Monty Carlo. If you want to marry your blowup girlfriend, then who's to say that it's wrong? I'll fight for your right to marry whomever you'd like," I grandstand.

"You're an _a-hole_ , Grey," Monty laughs under his breath. I look over to Topher who's gone back to coloring in between taking bites of his lunch. He's no longer paying attention to either of us.

"So um, since _Fenkell the Hottie_ isn't here, I can give you this," Monty whispers, sliding me over a piece of paper. I frown at him.

"What's this?" I say, not even looking at it.

"It's Laura the hostess' phone number," he replies with two sets of brow raises.

"Nope. Not getting caught with this," I say, trying to force the paper back into Monty's hand. He blocks me, refusing to take it.

"Dude, I won't say anything. Just call her. She's hot as hell," he says discretely.

"Are you insane? I'm not cheating on my girlfriend," I say adamantly as I ball up the slip of paper and place it down on the table.

"Don't leave that here. She'll see it and her feelings will be hurt," Monty says with a pouty lip. He takes the slip and tries to flatten it back into its original state before placing it into his chef's coat.

"Yeah… _you_ call her," I tell him.

"I've been trying for over three weeks to get that girl's number, by the way. Leave it to you to get it in just five seconds," he says, rolling his eyes.

"If it makes you feel better, she _did_ hit on my brother first," I smirk.

"Topher is definitely _babe magnet supreme_ , but so are you. Believe me when I say that she had her eye on you the whole time. She told me," he murmurs seductively.

"Well, when you give her a call, you can pretend that you're me," I volley.

"I'll just need you to fill up my checking account with a few more benjis in order to _really_ convince her," he smirks.

I laugh. "I'm sure you make more than enough here to get by. You're now covering the rent at the apartment all on your lonesome."

"Yeah, life's been good. I can't thank you and your pops enough for getting me in here," he says in appreciation.

"Don't sweat it," I wave off.

"But I envy you. You're kicking ass over at Grey House. The only way I can bring home _the mega bucks_ doing what I love is if I owned my own three-star Michelin-rated restaurant," he says longingly.

"You need to put together a plan and set it in motion," I tell him. "Don't keep fulfilling someone else's dream. Live _yours_."

"That's sound advice, Grey. So does that mean that both you and I are _really_ living your pop's dream?" he says tongue-in-cheek.

It's rare – but sometimes my old friend Monty can drop some science on your ass and leave you speechless. This is one of those moments.

"You and I are on a bridge to the promised land. We need to stay the course until all of our ducks are all in a row. That's why you need a plan," I tell him.

"Do _you_ have a plan?" he throws back at me.

"Right now I'm stashing money away for my dream. I recently got another raise and I no longer pay rent – as you know," I say. Monty nods his approval. "Also, I'm soaking in all that I can at work. I've been shadowing many departments when I'm not doing my regular job. I've even been filling in for my dad where I can," I add.

"All you have to do is just hang in there for the next ten years or so years, and GEH is _all yours_ ," Monty says with a wide grin.

I press my mouth into a straight line. "Yeah…I _could_ do that. But why wait _ten years_? What if I can make this happen in _ten months_?" I say in hypothesis.

"Honestly bro, I don't know if this is a really good time to be starting a new venture. You have it _made in the f-ing shade_ ," he says with envy. I'm glad that he has enough sense now to filter his language in front of Topher.

"That's true, but there's no better time than the present to take calculated risks. It's easy to jump ship when the economy is doing well. But I will tell you that the returns are much greater if a new venture can succeed during a downturn," I smile before taking a drink of water.

"Your pops is literally grooming you to take over the world. Why would you turn that down?" Monty says, still not seeing the big picture.

"Who says I'm _turning it down_? I'm taking everything that he's giving me," I argue.

"Yeah, but then at some point you plan on taking _all that he's giving you_ and carrying it somewhere else. Why not just _ride it out_ until you become CEO?"

"Yes, I _will_ be CEO," I agree. "Just not where you think I should be. And besides, Topher already called dibs on GEH," I smile.

"I'm going to be the big boss," Topher chimes, finally breaking his silence.

"Well, you definitely look the part, _Pimp Daddy Toph_ ," Marco says as he reaches over to pop Topher's collar.

"I'm going to be _big boss number one_ , and Teddy will be _boss number two_. Diana will be _medium boss number three_ ," Topher explains.

Monty cracks up and I simply grin knowingly. "Is _that_ right?" he says to my brother.

"Yep. And I won't share. I'm _never_ getting married. _No_ thots," Topher declares.

Monty and I can't hold back. We both lose it.

"Ain't nothing wrong with a little _thottie action_ every now and then, Sir Topher. In fact, I'm quite fond of that particular variety of female myself," Monty pours on through the laughter.

"Topher, _buddy_ …you can't use that word anymore. Okay?" I plead with my little brother, trying my damnedest to not start laughing again.

"Why not?" he asks with a quizzical eye.

"Because, it's _not_ a good word."

"Is it a bad word?" Topher inquires, trying to grasp understanding.

"Yes, it is. It's a word that objectifies women," I calmly explain. I'm certain that he doesn't quite get the concept of _objectification_ yet, but _what the hay_. Nobody can't say that I didn't try to steer him in the proper direction.

"Brie said that Jesse's new girlfriend is…"

I wince and my teeth clinch as I prepare for the absolute worse.

"… _that_ bad word," Topher finally finishes the sentence.

 _Phew._

"She _would_ say that, wouldn't she," I say with an arched brow.

"Your sister's a _maneater_. I need to meet this _Jesse Rogers_ character. She ripped that poor fellow's heart to shreds from what you told me," Monty chuckles.

"Yeah, the poor chump," I sigh, shaking my head.

 _I used to be that guy._

* * *

 _Sunday, June 27, 2032  
(Flashback)_

 _Ana_

I think I'm going to combust.

At nearly eight months pregnant, I don't even know how I can stand another day of this, much less another _five weeks_. I seriously want to cry. I miss my poor feet. I miss walking without my ass waddling behind me. If I didn't get why I wasn't keen on having any more children after I had the twins, the point right now is crystal fucking clear. And this is much worse than any of my three previous pregnancies. **Combined**.

 _This is pure. Unadulterated. Torture._

Christian knows how miserable I've been, so he's been very insistent on me not waiting another three weeks before taking off from work for maternity leave. But if I stay in this house while waiting for another five weeks to slowly tick on by, I will lose my ever-loving mind.

 _I guarantee that my husband wouldn't want to come home to Godzilla._

I'm lying in bed midday with my feet propped up while finishing up some work on my laptop. Christian and the twins are at the Mariners game with Elliot. As far as I know, I'm home alone. Teddy's back at Stanford for summer semester. Phoebe is probably somewhere hanging out with Hanson.

Thirty minutes go by and my eyes are tired. _I could use a nap._ I close my laptop and place it on the bedside table. Just when I shift into bed onto my side, a knock startles me.

 _Wha…who?!_

"Mom? Are you there?"

"Phoebe?" I frown, confused.

"Can I come in?"

I roll like an Easter egg in order to prop myself back up in a seated position.

" _Yes_ ," I eventually respond.

My beautiful girl emerges through the opened door wearing the cutest little sleeveless white summer dress with royal blue print.

"I thought you were meeting up with Hanson?" I ask her as she crawls into bed next to me.

"I did," she says sweetly. "We had brunch at Boat Street Kitchen, but then he had to leave to get a few things done at Grey House."

"What is he working on? And why is he working on a Sunday?" I ask with a puzzled frown.

"He just wants to do a good job for Dad. He's just so grateful for everything that he's done for him," she says with adoration radiating from her eyes.

My daughter has told me about her boyfriend's struggles on the home front. You never know what someone's really going through just by looking in from the outside.

On the surface, Brandon and Joy Larkin seemed to have it all altogether. They attended the same social functions that Christian and I go to. They opened up their checkbooks for the hefty donations. They threw the extravagant parties at their home. They went on exotic vacations. But what everyone failed to realize is that was just their way of _keeping up with the Joneses_.

Sadly, they've been _very_ irresponsible with their money.

Brandon and Joy were so down on their luck that they had to dig into their children's savings in order to patch up some holes. Still, that didn't resolve all of their problems. They are now being faced with the prospect of having to lose their business in bankruptcy.

Up until this past spring, Hanson thought that baseball was his only ticket out. It was the only way that he could get a full ride at UW. It wasn't until he started interning at GEH that he fell in love with numbers. He'd rather fiddle with pivot tables than swing a bat these days.

Today, Hanson is no longer attending UW on an athletic scholarship. The _Theodore Trevelyan 'Rising Talent' Scholarship Fund_ is now footing his tuition as long as he's a part-time employee at GEH. And let me tell you, that young man is earning every bit of that scholarship. He's worked harder than any full-time employee I've seen.

"Hanson knows that the scholarship isn't contingent on him working weekends," I say with a chuckle. Phoebe smiles as she rubs my enormous belly.

" _Hey there little guy_ ," she whispers lovingly to the bump.

I chuckle. "Why do you think that it's a boy?"

"Because, I want a baby brother," she says plainly.

"You're stuck at home today with me and this one, huh?" I say with a smirk.

"I'm kind of glad that we're home alone. I've been wanting to talk to you about something," she says. Her expression evens out. I know that whatever's on her mind is important. She has my full, undivided attention.

"Shoot," I say to her as I adjust the pillow under my back.

"Well, you know that Hanson and I have been together for almost nine months now," she prefaces.

 _Geez, where has the time gone?_ It only seems like yesterday when Christian and I were going toe to toe over his unreasonable verdict of not letting our then sixteen-year-old daughter date. Today, Christian's not only good with Phoebe dating, but he has taken in Hanson as if he were his own son.

 _Again, what planet am I living on?_

"So _um_ …we haven't _um_ … _er_ _a_ …" she bumbles, awkwardly brandishing her bottom row of teeth.

 _Oh dear._

"You _haven't_ …" I start, slowly motioning my head up and down.

"Yeah," she answers very uncomfortably.

"Sex," I finally spit out. She winces. " _What_?" I ask, concerned by her stunned reaction to me saying the word before she does.

"Moms don't have _sex_ ," she gasps jokingly. I narrow my eyes at her and plainly rub both hands all around my protruding belly.  
' _Nuff said._

"Hanson's never pressured me. I mean…I thought all boys _had to have it_ ," she says with air quotes.

Hanson is indeed the sweetest young man that I've ever met. I don't know many guys his age that would've waited for as long as he has. It goes to show how much he truly cares for my little girl.

"So now…we're kind of at this point where we _know_ that we love each other," Phoebe pours out.

My heart nearly skips a beat.

"So…I've decided. Starting next weekend, his team at work is off for 4th of July week. _I_ …would like for us to take the next step then."

I don't know if Christian has had a similar moment with Teddy as I'm having with Phoebe. Watching your baby grow up to make _grown-up decisions_ is something that a parent is _never_ fully prepared for.

With the deadly combination of the gravity of this moment along with my raging pregnancy hormones, I immediately begin to weep.

" _Mom_ ," Phoebe gasps, stunned. She wraps her arms around me. "Did I say something wrong?"

I wave her off and whisper, " _No, no…its okay_."

"Why are you crying?"

"You're my little girl," I sob even louder. She hugs me and I can feel her body jerking.

 _Is she laughing at me?_

Phoebe releases me and with humor on her face, reaches over to the table and grabs a tissue. She hands it to me.

"Just be careful, okay? Use a condom," I sniff before blowing my nose.

"I know, Mom," she smiles. "Should I tell Dad too?"

" **No!** " I snap hastily. "Please… _don't_ do that," I say more calmly.

Phoebe laughs out loud. "I figured as much."

* * *

 _Monday, August 13, 2035  
(The Present)_

Christian lies on top of me in our bed, ravaging my neck. I groan.

"Hey…I told you that I wanted to talk," I gasp.

 _Damn, he always knows how to make me forget everything.  
Him and his hypnotizing mouth._

"So _talk_ ," he murmurs in between kissing me.

Shit. I don't know if this conversation will ruin the mood, because after we talk, I want his hands all over me.

Looks like he's getting a head start. His hands begin working up my nightgown as his mouth slides from my neck and up my jaw. Finally, his lips touch mine.

"Christian," I giggle. "I need my mouth in order to talk."

"You don't need to talk right now, baby. You can use that sweet mouth to do _other things_ ," he purrs like a lion. The junction in between my thighs pulsates rapidly.

"Stop it," I laugh. "I need to tell you something."

"So tell me," he breathes, shifting his mouth back down to my neck.

"You know that I had lunch with Phoebe today."

"Mhm," he says before his lips make a smacking sound right against my skin.

"She expressed interest of leaving her dorm for an apartment close to campus," I tell him. He stops kissing my neck and looks down at me with quizzical eyes.

 _Oh boy. This isn't going to end well._

"She wants to get a place. With a roommate," I say quietly.

"With Sloan?" he prompts with a quizzical eye.

 _Shit. This is painful._

I slowly shake my head with a look of pure reluctance.

"Then _who_?" Christian asks in a rough voice.

Jesus…I'm practically shaking in my boots. He's going to go _thermonuclear Fifty_ in just a moment.

"Her boyfriend," I spit out.

Christian stills for a beats before rolling his body from mine.

 _Fuck. So much for a hot Monday night in bed with Tiger._

He props himself up on his elbow and studies me.

"Look…they've both put aside enough for first and last month's rent along with a security deposit for a decent place close to UW. They've thought this through. Phoebe has outgrown her dorm. Besides, she's a junior now," I babble in a flurry.

Christian sits up. "Settle down," he says, holding up both hands in placation. His expression remains unreadable.

I sit up in bed along with him in preparation of going head-to-head with this stubborn man. "It's because I know that you're about to lose your shit, Christian. I'm just covering all of the bases before you say _'no'_."

He narrows his eyes at me.

"Say I'm wrong," I demand.

He continues to sit there in silence, staring at me. As each second passes, this feeling in my chest becomes more and more uncomfortable. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth twitch.

 _Wait, is he joshing me?!_

 _Why, that adorable ass.  
He's fucking with me!_

I slap him on the arm and he playfully winces.

" _You knew_!" I squeal. He laughs.

"Hanson and I went out for lunch today while Phoebe was with you," he finally spills.

"You're such a jackass," I hiss at him, but I can't help but smile at my sneaky husband. _Getting me all worked up for nothing._

"But you still love me," he purrs, luring his puckering lips back towards me. I swat him away.

" _So?_ " I prod, begging him to put me out of my misery.

"After Hanson told me their plans, I chewed on it for a second before giving him my blessing. I then put him in touch with my longtime broker."

I gape at my husband.  
 _Seriously? Am I'm hearing him correctly?_

He continues. "I believe that the two of them are mature enough to handle this together. Hanson's the same age as our oldest, and we know that Ted recently moved with his girlfriend. Phoebe's an excellent student and a hard worker who has her head on straight. Therefore _I approve_."

I fall back into bed and drag a pillow over my face.

 _I don't believe what I'm hearing._

Christian climbs back on top of me and pulls the pillow away from my clutches.

"What is your deal, Mrs. Grey?" he says with that smoldering look that always makes me feel weak.

"What have you done with my megalomaniac husband?" I say lovingly.

"Baby, he's still in there," he says, pointing to his chest. "He's just older and more tired," he quips. I laugh. "I'm learning how to pick my battles. I also know that our daughter is dating a very trustworthy young man. Hanson has more than proven himself to me over the years."

Amazing. My sweet reformed Fifty Shades.

* * *

 _Wednesday, August 15, 2035_

 _Ted_

"Thanks so much for watching your little brother tonight, sweetie."

"Are you serious right now?" I smirk at my mother. "Really, it's _no bother_. Topher is my _number one ace_."

"We're going to have a blast with this guy," Diana eagerly chimes as she ruffles his little head. Topher darts away and scurries around the great room and through the kitchen while waving his arms and making little fighter plane noises.

My folks need to attend some fancy midweek fundraiser, so they asked if Diana and I could watch Topher. The Taylors had something else going on tonight, while the twins have midweek AP Calculus study group. Diana and I eagerly accepted the challenge.

Dad looks like a billion bucks in his navy tux. And Mom? _Holy shit._ Dad had better keep his woman on a leash tonight. She's slaying in a gown that's a single strap on her right shoulder that starts black on top before fading into a dark blue on the floor. Her back is exposed in between a series of four black straps with intricate beading. Her beautiful brown hair is placed up in a bun.

"Seriously, Ana…you're a total knockout. That dress is simply to die for," Diana gushes for the third time in five minutes.

"And I see that I'm chopped liver," Dad teases. I crack up laughing.

"Your extreme handsomeness goes without saying, Mr. Grey," Diana says sweetly. Mom laughs at the merciful complement.

"Hey…stop flirting with my old man," I say to my girlfriend with a faux frown. She brushes me off with a flip of her wrist.

"We shouldn't be longer than three hours. It is a work night for crying out loud," Mom sighs.

"We've got it handled. I promise," I reassure her.

"Call us if you need anything at all. We'll come back right away," Dad adds.

" _Go_ ," I snicker at the two of them. _Overprotective parents, I swear._ They relent and pin down Topher for a kiss before hugging Diana and I on their way out.

"So bud, what did you want to do before you go to bed in an hour?" I ask our little guest.

"Bed?! _Noooo_!" he caws with a devious grin before running around Diana and me in a rapid circle. Diana reaches out in an attempt to grab him, but he's lightening fast.

I team up with her and try to nail down the slippery little monster as he makes his way through the great room, past the grand piano, and through the kitchen.

"I'll get you, Topher!" Diana growls playfully.

"Don't let her catch you, or you'll have a wet-willy coming to you!" I call out to him in warning.

" _Ewww!_ Nooo!" he calls back in a fit of giggles. He's dashing to and fro, non-stop.

Suddenly, I hear the chirp of a phone. It's Diana's.

"Time out," she says out of breath, but that doesn't stop Topher from running and me from chasing him. There were two times where I almost had him in my hands, but he would wiggle his way right through me.

While in pursuit, I quickly turn to see Diana studying her phone at the breakfast bar.

"Crap, it's work. I'd better take this," she says.

"Tell Larkin to stop bothering you with that _Propel the Future_ debauchery," I heckle.

Finally, I grab Topher by the arm and tackle him down to the floor just outside of the kitchen.

" _Nooo_!" he cries out in defeat.

"Got you!" I say victory as I proceed to tickle him relentlessly. He giggles uncontrollably.

"I'll be glad when his PTF presentation is over and done with. I'll be right back," Diana sighs as she takes her phone towards our bedroom.

"Stop tickling me!" Topher cries out in a fit of laughs. I finally have mercy on him and quit just after ruffling up his hair. He tries to block me with his skinny little arms.

"I forgot to ask you about your swim class the last time I saw you," I say as we each catch our breath.

"I go again Saturday," he tells me.

"Sweet. Do you like it?"

"Yeah! It's _soooo fun_! I learn how to kick my feet. I got to play on the water slide and I got lots of water dumped on me," he rattles off in animated excitement.

"Dude, that sounds pretty amazing. I'm kinda jealous," I beam.

"Me and my friend Roman had so much fun there," he says with a bright smile.

I narrow my eyes. "Your friend's name is _Roman_? Is he a centurion guard or something?"

" _No_. I don't even know what that is," he giggles.

"Didn't think you did," I smile and wink.

After Diana concludes her brief call, the three of us indulge in my delicious bread pudding. It's my Mom's recipe. It came pretty close to Ana Grey's perfection, if I do say so myself.

An hour later, we all engage in a _very_ competitive game of _hide and seek_. Twenty minutes later, Diana and I totally give up.

"Seriously, where did he go? We've looked _everywhere_ ," Diana sighs.

"I should've warned you. Topher Grey is the family's _Hide and Seek Champion_ ," I laugh. "He'll pop up. Eventually."

Soon afterwards, my parents surface from the elevator, escorted by Luke Sawyer.

"Is he in bed?" my mother smiles at the two of us.

"Funny you should ask. I think we've lost him. We were playing _hide and seek_ ," I say in embarrassment.

"Oh no," Mom sighs. She's well aware of how crafty her youngest can be in this masterful game of _lost and found_.

"I'll be back," Dad smirks as he marches away in his Gucci loafers.

Two minutes later, he emerges with a sleeping Topher Grey dangling lifelessly in his arms. "You two must've worn him out," my father grins with amusement.

"Well, my job here is done," I quip, dusting off my hands.

"Where did you find him? We looked _everywhere_ ," Diana says, flabbergasted.

"Christian has mastered all of the champ's secret hiding spots," Mom answers for him as she grabs Topher's bag of toys from the floor.

….

 _Thursday, August 16, 2035_

I'm in my office on an afternoon video conference call with the good folks of Affinity Technologies in New York City. We're fairly close to making a deal to acquire them. With Affinity in our portfolio, we could make so many in roads in our quest to make the world a greener place.

As I sit behind my desk facing the video screen, which displays a group of ten men and women seated at a round table, my desk phone quietly buzzes. I look at the screen and see that it's the main reception desk. I narrow my eyes, wondering what it is they want. I hardly ever get calls from the front desk. Marco's assistants, Tara and Marie, usually filter all my front desk calls.

Two more minutes go by as the meeting starts to wind down. Soon, my desk phone rings once more. It's the front desk… _again_. Now I'm growing with concern.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I hope that we're all squared away for this next phase," I say in closing.

"We are, Ted. Thanks so much for your time. Looks like your phone's ringing off the hook over there," the VP chuckles. I sigh and roll my eyes.

"Yeah, it's never a dull moment here," I respond.

"We'll let you go then."

"I'll circle back with your team next week before the meeting with Marco and the rest of our leadership team," I tell them.

"Excellent. Please give our best to your parents. We look forward to working with them, as well as yourself," the President chimes in.

I nod. "Sure thing. Take care, everyone."

After we say our goodbyes and sign off, I pick up my desk phone and quickly dial the front desk.

"Mr. Grey?" the female receptionist utters before I can get a word in edgewise.

"Yes, did someone just call?"

"Sir, you have an unruly visitor down here who refuses to leave unless she sees you. We can call security if you'd like to escort her from the premises," she says in a very discrete tone of voice. It's rather oblivious that the person in question is very close by.

 _Holy shit, who in the world could it be?_

The last time I had an _'unruly visitor'_ at work, I was a student at Stanford. It took an act of God to get _Cheerleader Rebecca_ off my junk. I can't imagine her relapsing after all these years.

"Who is it?" I ask in a stark voice.

"She says that her name is _Sophie Taylor_?" the receptionist says in an uncertain tone of voice.

My heart feels as if it stopped pumping blood mid-beat.

 _Why is she even here?  
Why does she want to see me? _

I'm feeling things that I didn't think that I could ever feel again.

 _I feel lightheaded and woozy.  
I feel sick and lost.  
I feel violated. _

And as I sit back and try to gauge what my physiological state is going through at the moment, it finally hits me dead center.

 _Sophie…_ _ **Taylor**_ _? Not Sophie_ _ **Glenn**_ _?_

"Mr. Grey? Are you still there?" I hear faintly over the phone.

Why did she tell the front desk that her last name was _'Taylor'_? Maybe it was for my benefit. Maybe she thought that I wouldn't know a _Sophie Glenn_. But little does she know, I really don't wish to face _either_ Sophie.

But she's just downstairs. And what if my father sees her waiting for me in the lobby? What if her father sees her?

 _What about Diana._

Shit.

"I'll be right down," I tell her right before I hang up the phone.

With my heart nearly pounding through my chest, I make it down the escalator from the 15th floor. My stride is much longer as hurry over to the reception area.

Then I see her.

She's leaning against the sandstone with her hands covering her face. I scan down her length.

 _A blond head of hair.  
Chipped nail polish.  
An open red flannel shirt with a black t-shirt underneath.  
Over-washed jeans.  
Tattered sneakers. _

Sophie doesn't look the same _at all_. She looks battle-weary. She looks torn down and ravaged. This girl before me isn't the same bright-eyed angel that I once knew – who happily ran with me through our meadow.

 _This girl_ has gone through some serious shit.

But through it all, her beauty still remains intact. It's so not fair that I can see her in this broken state and still be affected by her in some subliminal kind of way.

The receptionist clears her throat the moment she realizes that I'm standing in the lobby. Sophie lifts her eyes and then turns my way.

Those tortured blue eyes lock into mine and I feel completely lost. She's not wearing any makeup, so I can tell that she's been crying. _A lot_.

I don't know what to say to her. I have no words in this moment. This is a moment that I have dreamt of for over three years…and I have _no fucking words_.

"Teddy?" she gasps, almost weeping.

I stand there, frozen in time.

Soon I feel her arms wrap around me.

 _Why is she here?_

I finally come to and pull her away from me, holding her at arm's length.

"Sophie, what's going on? Why are _you_ …"

"Ted… _I_ …I need to talk – can we please _talk_?" she says rattles with urgency and despair.

"Calm down. What happened?" I say, trying to ensure that she doesn't lose it any more in front of incoming and outgoing employees and guests.

I need to get her out of this lobby before someone who knows her sees her.

 _Before they see her with me._

" _I_ …" she starts with her otherworldly blue eyes pooling in tears.

"Come," I tell her.

Taking her gently by the arm, I lead her down the hall and into a small conference room tucked away in back. _Thankfully there are no windows facing the hall where anyone can see who's in there._ I lock the door behind us.

She begins to shake before falling onto my neck.

 _Jesus – why is she clinging on to me this way?  
It's unbearable. _

"Sophie…what's going on?" I say, trying to remain as calm as I possibly can.

And there is this slight part of me that wants to yell at her.

 _The nerve of this girl walking back into my life after all these years.  
She decimated my soul. _

But there's a voice that calls out to me on a deeper level. It's the area within that still holds compassion for her.

 _Her smell.  
I can still remember._

It hits me like a bolt of lightning.

"I can't help you unless you tell me what's wrong," I say as she audibly shivers through the tears.

Finally, I feel her easing away and trying to stand on her own two feet. I reach into my suit pocket and hand her my handkerchief.

"I'm _sorry_ ," she weeps silently.

My nose crinkles in bewilderment.

She clears her throat, and pats down her face with the white cloth.

"I'm sorry for coming here," she says in a calmer tone.

 _Oh._

" _I_ …didn't mean to interrupt you at work," she murmurs.

"What happened?" I ask again. "Sit," I urge, taking her by the arm and helping her down to one of the swivel chairs. I take the seat right next to her and roll in closer.

"I think that I'm about to lose my son," she drops the bomb.

 _Stop.  
Hold up.  
Wait a second._

Obviously there's three years' worth of information that I've missed out on. It's as if I just tuned in to the program three seasons in without being exposed to the first episode.

But before I ask for a rewind, I state obvious.

"Where's Aiden?"

This apparently triggers something as she places her elbows on the table in front of her and covers up her face.

"I _really_ messed up," she says, muffled through her hands.

 _Yeah you fucking did._

I knew this guy wasn't shit from the moment I found out about him. Her dad knew that he wasn't shit. The only person who _didn't_ know was _her_.

"What did he do to you?" I say quietly.

It's obvious that whatever happened, it has something to do with that shitty husband of hers.

I search the fingers currently glued to her face. There's no sign of a ring or a band. There's no tan line. _Nothing._

I give her a few moments before she eases her hands down and wipes her face yet again.

"We never married," she finally speaks out.

 _What?_

The news takes me by surprise.

" _You_ …you _never married_?" I say, dumbfounded.

"No…we lived together. We rented a house right after the baby was born. Then he started getting heavy into drugs."

" _Jesus Christ_ ," I gasp, shaking my head in revulsion.

I _knew_ this asshole was a druggy. And Diana knew it the second that she met him during our lunch together.

"I didn't understand his fascination…his _addiction_. I didn't get it. We had this marvelous beautiful baby boy in the home. That alone should've made him want to give that child _everything_. But he didn't care. He only cared about his next _gnarly_ _trip_."

She's a ghost of her old self as she's recalling these horrific things to me. And all the while, I'm thinking: _This is the choice that you made._ _ **You**_ _wanted this._

"Living with him got progressively worse," she says quietly.

 _This is painful.  
I don't want to hear anymore. _

"And when his money dried all up, he started stealing from me," she says with a fallen expression.

 _Whoa._

It explains why she's dressed the way she is. This girl has _nothing_ left.

"And then when my money was all gone, he ventured into other things. Him and his druggie friends," she hisses quietly.

"Dammit, Soph. _Why_?"

It's all I can say. I have no other words for her allowing all of this to happen to her.  
 _It didn't have to be this way._

She doesn't respond to my question, but she continues. "It wasn't until a stickup at the truck stop went wrong over a year ago when it all stopped. He was already on probation for a possession charge when he got arrested this last time. He got a mandatory ten years for armed robbery."

My eyes clamp down and I begin to shake my head.  
" _Sophie, Sophie, Sophie_ …" I chant over and over again.

"I know… _I know_ …" she breathes as she starts to cry again.

I place my hand on her shoulder and rub it gently, and she leans into my touch.

 _Why am I even touching her?_

My hand slows before falling back down into my lap.

"So you're a single mom now," I conclude.

After a few more audible sobs, she wipes her face once more before clearing her throat.

"I worked two jobs trying to keep things afloat. It was hard. My mother helped me with my son while I worked. But that didn't stop the bills from piling up. It got really bad," she says, shaking through the building tears.

The Sophie I knew wasn't _this_. The Sophie I once knew had her shit together. She had a plan and a goal. _My Sophie_ wouldn't have gotten pregnant and engaged before setting her dream of moving to Chicago into motion.

This was a totally different _Sophie_.  
 _A sad, pitiful Sophie._

There's a tragic reality that screams loud and clear in this moment. My father was right all along to keep us apart. He obviously knew how fragile I was back then, and how fragile _she_ was – and still is.

 _Sophie and I weren't really meant to be together._

I sit there. Stoic. But still – I watch her. I wait for whatever else she has to say. I anticipate her _real reason_ of intruding on my job and causing a disruption in the main lobby.

"I was missing my son. I was missing the simple life. A life without pressure. A life without expectations. I wanted to know what it felt like to _not_ feel anymore," she says.

An ominous feeling comes over me.

"A coworker at the night auditing job I was working at – a small independent hotel, introduced me to oxycodone," she says with shame riddled all over her face.

My world stops.

"Fuck Sophie…are you joking?! _Oxy_?!" I say, raising my voice.

"I tried it once… _just once_. In that moment, I understood why Aiden couldn't kick the habit. But I didn't plan on ever doing it again. However, the night that I took it from my coworker, I was caught on camera."

" _Jesus_ ," I say, shaking my head for the umpteenth time.

 _The fucking hits just keep on coming._

"I got arrested, then fired. Then this… _woman_ came along. I never met her – _I swear_. She works at the Department of Social Services. Say what you will about me, but I've _never_ been bad mother. I _love_ my son. I would _die_ for my son."

She begins to cry again, but then she clears her throat and presses through.

"This woman _must_ be a friend of Aiden's parents. I saw no reason for DSS to be called on me anyway since the exchange occurred at work. But apparently, they assumed that I ended up taking the drugs at home while my son was there."

 _I can't hear any more of this.  
It's too much to take in all at once._

" _Sophie_ …" I start in an attempt to make her stop heaping all of this bad shit onto me.

 _Why is she telling me all of this?  
Why isn't she speaking to her father?_

"They are trying to take my son away from me, Teddy! I can't let them do that! They are going to rip my baby from me and my mom! _Please_!" she grovels through her cries.

"What is it that you want me to do?" I say, practically throwing my hands up in the air. "You come here to see me after _three years_. I have no idea what's been going on with you. Then you spring all of this heavy shit on me. _I_ …I don't know what to tell you, Soph. I _don't_."

The words just come tumbling out of me. It's _almost_ everything I wanted to say for the past fifteen minutes.

She sits there, muddling through the tears. I can see it as a thought or a notion enters her mind. Her lips would quiver as if she was going to say something, but then she changes her mind.

After a few beats, she stands up. "I'm so sorry Teddy for being here. This was a _bad_ idea."

She starts towards the door but I quickly stand grab her by the arm, stopping her.

"Do you want me to help you with legal fees or something?" I ask her.

She looks down at her feet and doesn't say anything.

"Have you spoken to your dad?" I finally ask. She shakes her head without looking up.

I figured.

"No one? _Gail_?" I add.

"They don't know. I stopped talking to them after Aiden and I got engaged. If they knew everything that happened to me because of him, they wouldn't want to help me."

"Bullshit, Sophie. They _love_ you. They would absolutely help you," I snap back.

I realize when she tugs her arm that I'm still holding it. Still, I don't let go.

"It was a mistake coming here," she says with a distraught gaze.

"Where are you staying? Are you okay? Do you need money?" I rattle off, still holding her arm firmly.

"I'm fine," she says with a tight jaw. "I was just hoping that I could get some help to fight for… _my_ son. It was foolish of me to come here."

"No, don't say that. Tell me what you need me to do," I plead softly to her, hoping that she calms down enough to finally voice her request to me. However at this point, she's already claimed defeat in her head. I can see it written all over her face.

"Its fine Ted," she says. "I'd like to go now. Please."

"Just one second," I say to her. After finally letting go of her, I reach into my pocket.

"My personal cell is on there. If you change your mind, give me a call," I say as I hand her my business card. "I prefer a phone call _first_ before a surprise visit," I add with a sad smirk.

With one hand on the door's handle, Sophie eyes the card.

" _Theodore R. Grey: Executive Manager of Merges and Acquisitions_ ," she reads in whisper. "You're just a step away from Vice President. And it took you how long?"

I see a faint semblance of pride on her face.  
 _She looks proud of me._

"I've been here full-time since January of 2033," I tell her.

"So two and a half years," she quickly calculates. She nods before sliding the card into the pocket of her jeans, and pulls the door open.

"I'll see you out," I tell her.

She holds out her hand, petitioning me to stay in place.

"That won't be necessary. I'll leave the way that I came in. Thanks Teddy," she says forlornly.

Sophie walks away without turning back, leaving me to stand there in place. I'm dumbfounded and left alone holding the proverbial _bag_ for her yet again.

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** **_Good news – I wrote so much for this chapter that I had to split it up into two. Chapter 15 is already done. The bad news is that I'm going to be mean and hold off on posting it until I receive a decent amount of reviews in return from you guys._**

 ** _As I've said in past stories, your feedback literally feeds ME. It's what keeps me encouraged as a writer._** **:)** ** _When I've put two chapters up at once in the past, I'd get gypped in the feedback department, haha! Therefore, once I see some decent chatter in the review section for chapter 14, I'll go ahead and post chapter 15._**

 ** _Also, I've pinned a few things for this chapter on the Pinterest site (username: storietella under the Family Business board), so make sure to check it out. Also, don't forget to friend me on Facebook (username: storietella2) for discussions and previews to upcoming chapters. I'll also be doing a sneak peek there of my next story sometime later next month, so stay tuned for that._**

 ** _Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	15. Chapter 15 - I Want Us Back

**_A/N: You have spoken, so here it is! Thanks so much! – ST2_**

* * *

 **Chapter 15 – I Want Us Back**

 _Thursday, August 16, 2035_

 _(Continued)_

 _Ted_

 _What the fuck is wrong with me?_

You know that feeling when you are expecting that _one_ call? Your brain cells interpret a sense of vibration in your front pocket. But when you retrieve your cell and see that you _do not_ in fact have a new call or text, you feel like a complete moron. It's only a phantom reaction, a figment of your wild imagination.

 _The notion of her contacting me after the manner in which she left is absurd.  
The sheer regret of visiting me in the first place was evident on her sweet, tormented face. _

I arrive home hours before Diana is scheduled to leave the office. I'm here earlier than usual since there wasn't much that I could do back in my office, especially after Sophie left me stupefied in that small conference room on the main floor.

Although her phrases continue to replay in my head, they are just as unbelievable as they were the moment that she first spoke them to me.

 _"We never married."_

 _"He started getting heavy into drugs."_

 _"Living with him got progressively worse."_

 _"When his money dried all up, he started stealing from me."_

I thought Aiden was _just_ a stoner. Turns out he was _way_ _worse_ than I could have ever imagined. Even Diana saw the red flags when she first set eyes on him over three years ago, but she kept it mostly to herself. Diana knew because she grew up watching her uncle battle with severe addiction.

 _"I worked two jobs trying to keep things afloat."_

 _"I was missing my son. I was missing the simple life."_

 _"I tried it once…just once."_

 _"I got arrested."_

 _"I got fired."_

This is _not_ the Sophie that I once knew. The Sophie I fell in love with long ago wouldn't so much as puff on a cigarette. _That Sophie_ would have _never_ been so irresponsible.

 _She wouldn't have put herself in a position to potentially lose her child._

I recapitulated every word non-stop for hours. And here I sit in the great room of the penthouse. I'm enslaved to my restless thoughts and I feel helpless. I fear for her. I _want_ to help her. However, the ball remains in her court. Besides, I don't even have her cell number anymore.

Before I left my office to go home, I reached out to Cliff Gerts who is now a notable private investigator based in Portland. After giving him the background about my case – which also served as a _blast from the past_ for him as well, he eagerly accepted the challenge. From there, I transferred his retainer straight into his bank account.

Gerts' mission: To find out everything that he can about Sophie from the past three years, keep an eye on her, and watch for any sudden moves from _the Glenn family_.

While I wait on Gerts' initial findings, I was able to obtain a copy of the court documents filed by Steven and Allison Glenn, Aiden's parents. They petitioned for full custody of Aiden and Sophie's son, who so happens to be unnamed in the public documents due to the child's age. Mr. and Mrs. Glenn reside just outside of Las Vegas. That would obviously make it rather difficult for Sophie and her mother to remain in the child's day-to-day life if the Glenns were to win custody.

Another piece of information that I was able to get a hold of was arrest documents on two other Glenn offspring. Point blank: The Glenns breed drug addicts. The way these people raise children isn't conducive to a positive and thriving upbringing. This would be easy to fight in court with the right lawyers, of course.

Based on what I know right now, I am more than willing to help Sophie and her mom fight to keep her child here in Seattle. However, no matter how much effort I'm putting into gathering all of this intelligence, I can't make a move until Sophie finally picks up the phone and calls me.

Until then, I have to sit and wait. And hope that she wants me to help her like she initially asked me to when she first barged into Grey House with a face full of tears.

Later, I reread the court documents over and over again while sitting behind the desk in the study. This office once belonged to my father. I can vaguely picture him sitting right where I am now, doing very similar things. He'd call his top consultant to keep an eye on all of the new people who would dare enter our lives. When it comes to protecting his family, my father is leery of _everyone_.

Now I understand how my dad is wired.

 _I wish I could have protected her._

Two knocks on the door startle me. I hurry and close the document that I am in before Diana opens the door. _She's home early as well._

"Hey, what's going on? You left work early," she says with concern riddled on her face.

"A bunch of shit," I sigh, massaging my temples.

Diana seats herself in the chair opposite my desk.

"Darcy said that there was a strange visitor at the front desk asking for you earlier. I tried calling you in your office to see if everything was okay."

 _Fucking Darcy in analytics._ Why in the hell was she on the main level when she's supposed to be helping her boss Hanson pull materials together for his big presentation?

 _That girl is a busy body, I swear._

"Sophie came looking for me," I say matter-of-factly.

 _No use to hiding it now._

Diana's brown eyes grow bigger and wider.

"You're _kidding_ ," she says. I shake my head. "Why? What did she want?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Let's just say that she's been through _a lot of shit_ and wanted my help."

"She _what_?" Diana gapes. "What does she want? _Money_?" She looks somewhat appalled.

"Something's going on with her kid where she might lose custody permanently. Aiden's serving a lengthy prison sentence for robbery, and his _well-to-do_ parents are fighting to take the child away from her." It's all Diana needs to really know at this point since I'm trying to find out more about this screwed up situation myself.

" _Wow_ ," she winces.

"Yeah," I sigh, still trying to digest the same news myself.

"She had a boy, right?" she asks. I nod. "Well, perhaps the child going with his grandparents might do him some good. She obviously doesn't have a handle on things," she says plain and simply, folding her arms.

"I don't necessarily think it's _that_ simple. I mean Sophie used to babysit my sisters. She's _never_ been a neglectful person. Her only fault was that she procreated with a _very bad guy_ ," I submit.

Diana's expression hardens. "But didn't she neglect _you_?"

 _Whoa._ Her words hit me right between the eyes.

"Didn't she turn out to be someone other than the girl you knew?" she continues.

She's absolutely right.

"Yeah, but I couldn't help but feel bad for her after seeing her today… _you know_? I know that she hurt me a long time ago. You should've seen her today. I don't know…it's so hard to explain. Something in me wants to help her fight to keep her child."

My girlfriend leans back into her chair, practically looking at me sideways.

"You don't even _know her_ anymore, Ted," she says in an elevated voice. "Maybe you should tell your dad and Taylor about it. Why don't you let _them_ handle it," she firmly advises.

"No, I don't want to involve them. And besides, Sophie doesn't want that. She doesn't even talk to her dad anymore. Honestly, I think that I'm her only hope," I say, haphazardly shrugging my shoulders.

Diana moves forward from her chair, places both hands on the edge of my desk, and leans in.

"It is _not_ your job to help her," she says slowly and resolutely.

 _Damn._ I'm caught between a rock and a hard place.

I can't get Sophie's tearful face out of my head. But right now, I have a _very_ perturbed girlfriend sitting before me. If I went through with helping Sophie, it would come across as betrayal to Diana. This woman right here has been there for me through thick and thin. Betraying her is the _last thing_ I want to do.

"You're right," I concede, nodding in assurance. "You're absolutely right."

* * *

 _Friday, August 17, 2035_

 _Ana_

I was fairly surprised early this morning when I checked my cell and saw a meeting invite come through from Diana, Teddy's girlfriend. She wants to have lunch with me this afternoon. So before my assistant Lola could screen my invites later on in the morning, I went ahead and accepted it.

Outside of the casual fifteen minutes in the hallways of Grey House, or outside of work when Teddy has stepped out of the room for a minute or so, I've never had the opportunity to sit with Diana for a long chat. Though something tells me that this isn't just your typical _spur-of-a-moment_ outing.

Diana has been extremely busy helping Hanson and team with data mining for his big PTF presentation that he'll be giving to our executive staff. In fact, Hanson is slated to do a pre-read for the office of the CEO in the next couple of weeks. Needless to say, it's crunch-time for Diana and her teammates. Ted has told me that they have been having lunch brought in to them in these final days as they summarize their forecast numbers.

Diana taking the time out of her very busy schedule in order to solicit my company speaks volumes. My mind begins to wander what this could possibly mean.

 _Does she want my advice about something? Career?  
Or perhaps it's concerning her relationship with my son._

 _Oh gosh, I hope that it's not anything that I can't handle._

I shake away my disorderly thoughts, trying not to get ahead of myself. I then assure myself that all will be revealed shortly.

 _Ana, just take it as it comes – that's if anything at all even comes from this lunch. If nothing else, it's a good thing to just to leave the office for an hour and learn a little bit more about the girl who now lives with your son._

Right at noon, I greet Diana with a hug just outside of the building. My driver, Mrs. Gloria Bianchi kindly addresses the two of us before we climb into the backseat of my sleek black sedan. After securing the door, Gloria starts the journey towards one of my favorite Greek restaurants here in downtown Seattle.

In her early sixties, Gloria is a 5' 2", no nonsense firecracker from Boston who's been with me for almost two years. In the past, Gloria has driven for celebrities, dignitaries…you name it. She and her husband moved to Seattle about three years ago in order to be closer to their daughter and two grandchildren. Her son-in-law got a new job at Microsoft, which is what transferred the family here in the first place.

Gloria was newly retired when she first moved here. Always on the go, she got sick of living the mundane _retired life_ real quick. So when a good friend informed her that _a billionaire high-profile couple in Seattle_ was in search of an additional driver who was experienced and very dependable, Gloria jumped at the opportunity.

I'm so glad that Christian and I found her.

Personally, I still like to drive myself around. But as metropolitan Seattle gets busier and busier with more and more corporations setting up shop here, the sometimes two-hour drive in rush hour traffic from our home at Puget Sound to Grey House – _and then back again_ – gets to be a royal pain in the ass. Having a dedicated driver allows me to take a conference call without the added stress of cussing out the guy who just cut in front of me. Sitting in the back seat, I can respond to a few emails, catch up on voicemails, or read that 30-page report that I received overnight from Japan.

Having my own driver also allows me to stay home with Topher in the morning as long as I need without having to leave super early in order to catch a ride with Christian and Taylor. It also frees up Luke to be there for Topher the twins, help Mrs. Taylor run errands, or oversee the security detail on the estate.

While in the car, I quickly break the silence with Diana.

"How's Hanson's presentation coming along?" I ask, smoothing out the wrinkles in my tan linen skirt.

"It's going quite well, actually," she smiles.

Diana looks very pretty in her navy blue dress, and it shamed me to know exactly where she bought it. In all of these years of fighting it, I have finally succumbed to couture. Don't get me wrong – I still _hate_ to shop. But after raising three fashionistas, it was hard not to be bitten by the fashion bug.

These days, I feel that I can wear my clothes and not let them wear me. I've grown more and more comfortable in my own skin. And of course it helps to have a sweet husband who tells you an insane number of times in a day and in many colorful ways how beautiful you look.

"I'm looking forward to it. I know Hanson will do well. Phoebe said that your team has been working extremely hard at this," I say.

"I don't know how Phoebe does it. She's a data mastermind and a straight-A student at UW. She's a powerhouse," Diana says in awe.

"My children, I swear," I sigh with pride evident on my face. "I couldn't carry that sort of workload while keeping up my grades at WSU. When I was in back in college, I worked part-time at a hardware store," I giggle. "I couldn't have imagined doing the stressful amounts of work that Phoebe is doing."

"Me too. I'm _so_ impressed by her. My sister Bridget is the same age as Phoebe and she can't even type on the computer and listen to music at the same time," Diana laughs.

"I think she wants to accelerate her coursework – just like Teddy did, so she can join us full-time a semester early," I mention.

"Yeah, she told me that. She's just as determined as Ted," she chuckles.

"It's in their DNA," I say simply.

"Obviously," she smiles. "Any idea what department Phoebe wants to work in after college?"

"She really loves working with data. I think she's just going to plant roots there in analytics. However, it would be nice for her to get more exposure. The NGP program is excellent for doing that."

"I agree," Diana nods. "That program was extremely valuable for me. It helped me to decide where I would best fit in the company."

"Exactly. Although I didn't stay long enough in that program myself to full explore it," I say with a sheepish grin.

"Really?" Diana says with peeked interest.

"I was in the program for one month. Like you, I started out in finance. But on my first day of the job, I bumped into the CEO on the elevator," I say with a smirk. "By day three, he had me working on a special project for a month. The result of that project is known today as _ESI_ , GEH's _Employee Satisfaction Index_. After that month was done, Christian appointed me as his support manager."

"The ESI program is truly _amazing_ ," Diana gushes. "Seriously, I think that more companies and corporations should adapt it into their culture. I did extensive HR research for my senior thesis and discovered that GEH's talent retention is at the top of the industry."

"We really do pride ourselves in that," I say sincerely. "We worked hard these past twenty-plus years to be in that position."

"Obviously. So, tell me," Diana starts with a telling grin as she leans in closer to me. "What was it that made Mr. Grey pull you out of the NGP just after meeting you?"

Her question makes me involuntarily blush. My reaction tells her all that she needs to know.

" _Oh_ ," Diana murmurs with a scandalous grin.

"Mr. Grey said that seeing your rear in a skirt as you left the elevator was what did him in," Gloria guffaws in her New England accent from the driver's seat. Diana and I burst out laughing.

"Christian _would_ say that," I quip as I look at Gloria through the rearview mirror with an expression that feigns disgust. I instantly fight a wide smile.

"Now I know where Teddy gets his ass fetish from," Diana utters.

"Yep, it is a classic attribute for _all_ Grey men. Get used to it," I smirk. Diana quietly laughs before slowly turning her head and looking out of the window. I focus on her as her smile morphs into a state of thoughtfulness.

 _Something is truly on her mind._

….

Over lunch, she and I both wave off the basket of bread ( _carbs…_ _ **bad**_ ) and opt for a side salad instead before our meals arrive.

Diana and I have a spirited conversation about food, film and just growing up in Washington State. She's only been in the state since high school, but she considers it home over Missouri. Diana also brought back a ton of memories for me while discussing her time at my alma mater, WSU Vancouver. I was an English major and she was an International Marketing major, so she and I didn't have many of the same classes. And besides, I'm sure that the professors I took were long gone by the time Diana came on the scene.

"Your major was International Marketing," I say to her. "Any plans on eventually exploring that area in your career?"

"That was my initial plan. At GEH, it's great that you and Mr. Grey made it easy to obtain an expat stint at any location across the globe," she praises.

"You can pretty much write your own ticket. I think you'd really enjoy working at our new facility in Stuttgart. There's also a growing marketing presence in our Sidney headquarters," I suggest to her.

"I've heard not so many good things about working in Australia. I heard that they don't take too kindly to expatriates in leadership positions," she says hesitantly.

"True, but Christian and I believe that the culture at GEH is separate from what may be going on in other parts of the country there. We make certain that all of our employees are treated with the utmost respect, while also conditioning the work environment for that same respect to be reciprocated across the board. We don't tolerate discrimination. _Period_. So you shouldn't worry if you ever aspire to do a two-year expat in Sidney, or anywhere else that GEH is headquartered for that matter," I say in assurance.

Diana flashes me a kind smile. "I'm so happy to hear that."

"Just let me know when you're thinking about taking the next step. I'm happy to help," I say earnestly.

"Thank you so much, Ana. I really appreciate it. But unless Teddy has a reason to work abroad, I don't think that I'll be leaving Seattle anytime soon."

 _Well, alrighty then._

Diana's relationship with my son seems to be getting _really_ serious. Christian for one would be glad to hear this news. He's been a fan of Diana since _day one_. Often, he tells me that she reminds him a lot of me. I know that she's a very hard worker. She also cares deeply for my son. I've seen the way she looks at him whenever they're together.

 _But_ there's something else going on underneath the surface. I can't quite put it into words. Yes, she adores him. He adores her. They seem to love being in each other's company. However, somehow – there's that _spark_ that's lacking between them. Again, I can't pinpoint it down to a single word or a phrase.

I think about my life before meeting Christian. I was the quintessential bookworm. I absolutely _hated_ going out. Therefore, Kate often had to drag me out of our apartment kicking and screaming. Yeah, I'd kissed a guy here and there. But there was never a boy that took my breath away. There was never a man that I wanted to give more than just my kisses to.

Then I met a drop dead gorgeous, sweet smelling guy on the elevator. It wasn't until then when I started to believe that fantasies could absolutely come true. To this day, I threaten everyone within an inch of their lives if they dare pinch me and wake me from this magnificent dream that I've dreamt for over 24 years.

And for Christian, I was _it_. He's told me time and time again that there wasn't a woman in this entire earth that could ever make him want to change from his previous lifestyle, until I came along. From that moment on the elevator, his every thought was of me. And whenever he and I are together in the presence of others, it's always _just_ _us_ and no one else.

When you find that _forever kind of love_ , you grab on to it and hold on to it for dear life. That is precisely what Christian and I have done.

I look at Phoebe and Hanson and I see the very same thing. I also witness that same spark in many others who are close to me.

Elliot and Kate.  
My in-laws, Carrick and Grace.  
My mother and Bob.  
Mia and Clark.

The list goes on and on.

The telltale of _a true soulmate connection_ is demonstrated in the unspoken, awestruck look that Christian gives me each night when we're alone in the still and quiet. It's an ogle that silently says, ' _I'd rather gaze at you for an eternity than waste two seconds looking at the picturesque sunset lingering here in our meadow_ '. It's a look of wonderment and sheer reverence. And I feel that love for him in the very same depth. I mean we each admittedly stare at the other for hours as we sleep, for crying out loud.

 _We're still love-struck, even after all these years._

I ponder more to myself about Teddy and his relationship.

 _I don't get that same feeling when I look at Ted and Diana._

I feel absolutely horrible even thinking this way. After hours upon hours excruciating labor, I'd better know my son like I know the back of my hand.

Teddy is more like his father than he'd let himself to believe. With that said, I've never seen him look at Diana the way Christian has looked at me.

 _In fact, I don't think I ever seen him look at any girl in that way._

The second I think it, past memories immediately flooding in.

 _His time growing up with Sophie.  
Yes, I have indeed seen __**that look**_ _in his eyes._

Right away, I grab my glass of water and chug it down in an attempt to wash down my wayward thoughts.

 _I am sitting here having lunch with Teddy's current girlfriend, for crying out loud. What in the hell's wrong with me?_

"So…have you and Mr. Grey discussed retirement?"

Not only does Diana's question pull me out of my sticky subconscious web, but it strikes me as quite random.

I decide to not think anything of it. _She only wants to have a friendly conversation over lunch._ I resolve to keep things as lighthearted as they've been and not let my subconscious get the better of me. As my husband says to me time and time again: _'Bunny, you think entirely too much.'_

"If you asked Christian, he'd say that he wants us to retire _tomorrow_ ," I giggle. Diana has the grace to laugh. "Honestly, I don't know when will be the best time for us. Our hope is to keep the business in the family after we've gone. I do believe that our two oldest are more than capable of taking the mantle and moving on without us. I know that Phoebe has expressed her desire to take over one of these days," I grin.

I catch a slight drop in Diana's expression at my words. "Really? I didn't know that she wanted to lead."

"Oh yes, Phoebe is a natural leader. She was the STEM club president and valedictorian in high school. She turned down four Ivy League schools just so she could stay here and work at GEH while she attended school. Once she's graduated and transitioned over to full-time, she'll be well on her way to management in no time flat."

I'm so proud of all of my children. Each of them are very bright and driven – all the way down to my little nugget, Topher.

"Ted's managed to skyrocket up to a guaranteed VP position, even after leaving here to attend Stanford. He's probably the most focused person that I know," Diana counters.

I narrow my eyes at her, confused.

 _Why is she trying to sell me on my own son?_

 _I already know well enough about Teddy's achievements at GEH. He has done wonderful things for us and he continues to accomplish a great deal in his career in only a matter of a few years._

I try not to appear to Diana as if I'm offended. And besides, we're only having a friendly discussion. There's no reason to be hostile since I'm sure Diana meant nothing by voicing her well-placed praises for my son. She's his girlfriend, so you would hope that she'd be an encouragement to him – which she appears to be.

"Of course. If Teddy truly wanted to take over, he'd be first in line. He _or_ Phoebe could easily take the reins if they wanted to," I say plainly.

Diana takes a sip of water and swallows. "I think it's wonderful that you and Mr. Grey have more than one trustworthy offspring to continue your legacy. You'll absolutely be in good hands no matter who ends up leading," she smiles.

I nod. "Yes – Christian and I are extremely lucky and blessed in that way. You also have Topher who already has strong ambitions to build up his little empire," I grin.

Diana laughs out loud. "Topher is awesome. I don't doubt it for a second that he'll be running things in a couple of decades."

"What do you mean _'in a couple of decades'_? That kid's running things _now_ ," I snort.

Our lunch is finally brought out to the table. We eat a few bites and absolutely melt. The waitress checks in with us right away, and both Diana and I rave to her about how good the food is.

Diana and I continue to make small talk as we eat. Honestly, I am enjoying this time and getting to know her better. There's a point in our respective meals where we each give each other a look that tells the other: ' _I can't take another bite, or I'll burst_ '. So we sit there, allowing our meals to digest as we sip our glasses of water every so often.

"I wanted to ask you something," Diana starts.

"Sure."

"When I first met Ted, it was before we knew that we'd be interning together at Amazon."

I smile knowingly, "Yes – he has told me the story."

She blushes somewhat. "How _much_ of that story did he tell you?"

Laughing awkwardly, I tell her, "Not much."

I'm not naive. Two very attractive young people meet at a club while drinking – _underage mind you_. Then after hitting it off, my son doesn't answer his calls, nor does he come home until early the next morning. Yeah, we can all guess what happened that night. Teddy didn't have to tell me anything.

"Good," she laughs and sighs in relief. "Well, when we first met, he was really broken over Sophie."

 _Now_ _ **there's**_ _a name that I haven't heard out loud in many years._

"Over the next couple of years, Teddy and I would become best friends. He knew everything about me, and I knew everything about him. But for some reason, I feel like I'm missing some vital pieces to him."

And the truth of this last-minute lunch meeting finally comes out.  
 _This_ is why she wanted to talk to me.

"Your son means the world to me, Ana. We've built something solid and strong together. It is my desire for us to continue to grow in our relationship as best friends. As… _everything_."

 _Everything? What does she mean by this?_

Now I can't stop my brain from running circuits. My thoughts are all over the place once again. Alarms, scenarios, potential motives…I can't seem to narrow down what's happening in this moment. I close my eyes for some clarity.

 _Ana, just shut up and listen!  
Let her show you just who she is. That way, there will be no need for guessing._

I open my eyes and study her.

"I'd like to better understand the time period when Sophie was still around. Is there anything you can tell me that would help me to better understand where Ted's head was?" she asks. Her eyes are now pleading to me.

Sophie happened over three years ago. Why is she being brought up now?

If Diana is simply insecure about Teddy's past, then I can understand that plight better than anyone. I had a dozen or two _ghosts of girlfriends past_ … **no** – _submissives past_ to contend with when Christian and I first started dating. So if anything, I needed to show this dear girl a shit ton of mercy.

However, my allegiance is first and foremost to my son. I wouldn't dream of ever betraying him or his trust by sharing any information with Diana that he wouldn't want me to.

"Hasn't Teddy told you everything about that time?" I finally say.

"Sure he has. I was just hoping to get another prospective, that's all," she says earnestly.

I nod in understanding. "There's a point when you realize that once you _really_ care for someone, you'll absolutely take them at their word." Diana nods in agreement. "What has Teddy told you about that time?" I ask, turning the tables back on her.

She blinks before taking a deep breath. "He was madly in love with her, and she nearly destroyed him."

Her words cause me to wince. You never want to hear someone else telling you how defeated your child felt for a time. I've always encouraged my children to feel comfortable enough to talk to me about _anything_.

Me telling Teddy's father about him skipping school with Sophie not only affected him and Sophie, but it placed this armored barrier between him and I. I really don't think he's ever felt safe enough to share his innermost thoughts and dreams with me since that happened. The very thought pierces me.

 _Sometimes I wish that the little boy who truly adored his Mama was still here._

He never said anything to me with words, but I knew that Sophie meant so much more to him. However, I simply chalked it up to being _a child's crush_. But if he's now an adult, and his live-in girlfriend is still bringing her up, then it was obviously more than just puppy love.

"When I first met Ted, I'd recently gone through a bitter breakup myself. That was our bond," Diana says, staring at the now cold dish. "At Amazon, whenever there was something that we couldn't handle that day – he and I would simply say, ' _SOS'_. That was our code word when we would just open up and share what was pulling at us."

It warms my heart that Teddy has someone who he can talk to. It would've pained me to hear that he had to endure this life holding in all of that hurt from the past.

"It was one of those _SOS_ days when Sophie was pressuring Ted to meet her fiancé."

My eyes expand in shock.  
 _I had no clue about any of this._

"And even though I believed that it was cruel at the time for her to make him do that, I encouraged Ted to accept the invitation. But I didn't let him go alone," she says soberly.

 _Why in the world would Sophie do that – especially if Teddy loved her like he did?_

I can feel the blood simmering in my veins.  
It's my _Mama Bear_ reflexes in play here.

"When Sophie and her fiancé walked into that restaurant, she looked like she was going to pop right there. She was about eight months pregnant at the time. It was Ted's first time realizing that she was really pregnant since he only saw her at night, wearing a jacket."

A slow ache begins to palpitate within. No one ever wants to hear about their child getting hurt, no matter what age they are. They will forever be your guileless little babies.

I place my elbows on the table, my face in my hands, and breathe in between my fingers.

"I'm sorry Ana. I'm sure that this is the first time you're hearing any of this. _I_ – I just want to make sure that I'm the only one for Ted… _that's all_. I don't want her coming back into the picture and playing mind games. I want to make sure that there's no more room in Teddy's heart for her to sneak get back in."

It's a noble request. It's one where if her intentions with my son are good, then I want the very same. But that's _if_ Diana is truly the one for my son. Her words tell me that she is. Her devotion to my son tells me that she is.

The only thing that I'm missing is seeing how _Ted_ feels about Diana.

I lift my eyes and look straight at her. "From what I see, my son appears to be devoted to you and _only_ you. Loyalty is something that all of us in our family hold near and dear. Teddy doesn't believe in stringing anyone along. If he's with you, then that means he wants to be with you and _only_ you," I finally speak out.

"I want nothing in this world but for that to be the honest to God truth," she pours out.

….

 _Saturday, August 18, 2035_

I sit in the pool watching from the sidelines as Topher plays with his friend Ronan in swim class. All the while, I can't get that lunch exchange with Diana out of my head.

I had no idea why Diana would bring up Sophie, or why she was fishing for details about Teddy's past with her.

Sometimes no matter how much I try and reason with myself, my brains does whatever the hell it wants to do. I just can't help but think that something happened between Diana and Teddy where Sophie's name came up.

As far as I know, Sophie married her college sweetheart and they had a child together. It is my understanding that Taylor didn't think very highly of his son-in-law, which placed a wedge between he and his daughter.

I really missed Sophie after she stopped visiting our house. She was like another daughter to me. We would laugh, play games, talk. As a little girl, Sophie would ask me tons of questions, but she was just as equally excited when she learned something new and wanted to tell you all about it. My daughters adored her. Teddy obviously thought the world of her.

 _I wish I knew how she was doing._

Ronan's grandmother, Shannon takes a seat next to me on the ledge of the pool.

"Ronan couldn't stop talking about hanging out with Topher for a week. He couldn't even sleep last night, he was just _that_ excited," Shannon beams. My heart melts.

"Topher's been the same way. Although I've been having a time getting him to say _Ronan_ instead of _Roman_ ," I laugh.

Shannon snorts. "It's not an easy name for a little guy to say at first. Even Ronan had a hard time saying his own name for a while."

"I _really_ love that name. It really does suits him," I say as I watch Ronan sliding down ahead of Topher.

"Those boys are two peas in a pod," Shannon says.

Shannon's kindness causes me to think about the possibility of helping her in some way. Maybe it can be something small at first… _nothing too big_. Perhaps Ronan can come by the house one of these Saturdays after class, along with Shannon of course.

Let's just start with dinner.

 _I'll invite Shannon, Ronan, and…_

"Is it just you and Ronan at home? Is Ronan's grandfather in the picture?" I ask out on a whim.

"No, its just Ronan and me right now," Shannon answers quietly. My heart stills.

 _This sweet little boy doesn't have any positive males around him.  
My heart truly goes out to him. _

"Oh, I'm sorry," I say, immediately regretting how I asked the question.

"No worries. I just never remarried after I divorced my daughter's father many years ago," she says plainly.

A sad feeling comes over me for this sweet lady, but then I realize that there are so many strong women out there who don't mind remaining single and happy. As my stepfather Ray once said, _'Marriage isn't for everyone'_.

I decide to hold off on the dinner invitation until another time.

* * *

 _Friday, August 31, 2035_

 _Ted_

Just after 2 pm, I decide to finally take a break away from my office. I make my way down five flights of stairs to the 10th floor.

The second I step out of the stairwell, I am greeted by walls and walls of bulletin boards that contained multi-colored tables and graphs.

It's like the _data beast_ hurled all over the place.

Diana's cubical is towards the end of the hall, but I must past Hanson's office before I get there. I see that his office door is shut and his blinds are drawn. _He's probably not even in there._ But in case there's a slight chance that he _is_ in there, I knock on the door anyway.

" _Yeah_?" I hear a faint voice call out.

I turn the knob and push in the door, only to find Hanson's rubbing his face in frustration.

"Dude, what's going on?" I say with a tinge of humor. But when Hanson doesn't change his tune after seeing me, I immediately sense that something has gone _terribly wrong_.

"Seriously, what happened?" I ask as I walk in, shutting the door behind me.

"I _really_ fucked up, Grey," he mutters.

 _Oh boy._  
I'm afraid to ask.

I saunter to the other side of his desk and lean back on it facing hm.

"How bad are we talking?" I say.

"On a scale of 1 to 10…I'd say _90_."

I sigh. "Holy fuck, Larkin. What did you do?"

"I don't know," he says with a sharp intake of air. "All of the numbers were primed and set to go ahead of schedule. Then your dad calls for a _pre-read_ for some reason."

"He does that. I warned you that he would," I interject.

"But whatever…I was ready. Well, so I thought," Hanson trails off, hanging his head back down.

"What went wrong?"

"My whole team combed that entire deck for _two days_. No one had an issue. Then while I was presenting to your dad and part of his executive team, there was a gleaming error staring me right in the face. I caught it and immediately apologized for it," he says.

"So, mistakes happen. No big deal. It's only a pre-read," I sigh in relief.

At this point, it seems as though Hanson desires to be nothing but perfect for my dad. Even _I_ know that's an impossible feat. My father will always find something to pick apart. He's been in this business way too long to overlook the small things.

 _If there's a needle in a haystack, Christian Grey will find it._

"Except this wasn't a small error. The slide showed that the German facility was actually under-ordering."

"It was just a draft, Hanson," I say much gentler than before. "A _pre-read_. It's fine."

He completely ignores me and continues. "Phoebe shared the draft with Ingrid in the German office, and then Ingrid turned around and took it to logistics. Now supply orders are over budget by $50 million and counting in just _one day_."

" _What_?!" I shout reflexively. "It was a fucking draft! The final PTF report isn't due for another month!"

"Dude – _I know_! We told Germany this, but they kept hounding us for some semblance of a forecast. Then they jump on the draft the moment Phoebe mistakenly sends it there. I'm a _sooooo_ fucked," Larkin says, shaking his head in pain.

I place my hand on my friend's shoulder; absolutely dumbfounded at how quickly this all fell off the rails. I mean this is _royally_ fucked up. It's beyond comprehension, really. It started with a simple error on a motherfucking draft, for crying out loud. Then we have the team in Germany blowing a whistle and decimating the budget for the next three years. _This is ludicrous._

Out of nowhere, the door swings open and it's Phoebe.  
Her face is red and she's crying.

"Oh my God," she wails.

Holy fuck, this is bad.  
I mean _really_ bad.

"I'm _so_ sorry! I didn't mean to send Ingrid that attachment!" she cries out to her boyfriend.

Hanson just sits there and wallows with his face in his hands.

" _Wha_ …? _Why_? _Wh_ …" I stutter, unable to get my words together.

 _Who dropped the ball here?_

If anything, Stuttgart should take the bulk of the blame for this. Who in the hell even told them to order all those supplies in one fucking day!

"That wasn't the file that Ingrid was supposed to get!" Phoebe weeps. I stand up from leaning against the desk and pull my sister into my arms.

"Pheeb…it wasn't your fault. They shouldn't have placed the order," I say, trying to calm her down. Before I get another word in edgewise, the door sings open once again.

Fuck.  
Me.

My dad comes barging into Hanson's office and slams the door shut.

"I've been trying to call you for the past thirty minutes," my father growls. He stares at Hanson and only Hanson.

Not me.  
Not Phoebe.

He looks like he is going to break Hanson's desk in half over his knee.

 _Holy shit._

"Sir, I know…I'm _sor_ …"

Dad cuts him off. "Your stupid mistake just cost this company $50 million. Fifty. **Million**. Dollars. Now you think about that for just a second. I have – for _many_ seconds."

My father is _livid_. I can't recall him ever being this mad. _Ever_.

"Mr. Grey…" Hanson starts again with terrified eyes.

"Daddy, it wasn't his fault!" Phoebe cries, jumping right in between Hanson and our father. "I sent Ingrid the wrong attachment! She took the draft as gospel!"

I stand there helplessly watching this heated exchange between my father, my sister, and my best friend.

 _Ground, please swallow me now._

"Both of you are to blame," my dad snarls at my sister.

 _Shit. Shit. Shit._

"Perhaps I made the colossal error in letting the two of you move in together!" he says, flailing his arm between her and Hanson. "If you can't help but be distracted by one another, then perhaps the two of you need to reevaluate your living situation!" dad hisses.

Phoebe loses it and starts wailing loudly before storming out of Hanson's office. Hanson looks as he wants to follow her badly, but he's stuck here to face my father.

Hanson and I stand there – _helpless_.

But before my father can utter another sharp word, he turns on his heel and quietly leaves. I stare at the shut door before turning to Hanson.

"I don't want Phoebe taking the blame for this. It was my responsibility as manager to keep things under control. I think I should pack up my things and leave – both here _and_ the apartment," Hanson says quietly.

"Fuck that! Don't you dare leave here _or_ home. This is _not_ your fault. This isn't Phoebe's fault, either," I say with conviction.

"I swear, Ted – that error was not in there before. I don't remember ever seeing it," he says, shaking his head in disbelief.

It was in that moment that I became convinced that _someone_ fucked with Hanson's draft.

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** **_Up next, Ted tries to put together what could've happened to Hanson's report after his team gets yanked from the Propel the Future campaign. Also, Sophie finally reaches out to Ted on the phone._**

 ** _Later, Ana is feeling even less warm and fuzzy about her son's girlfriend, even though Christian still insists that Ted make her an honest woman._**

 ** _Thanks everyone for reading! – ST2_**


	16. Chapter 16 - When A Man Loves A Woman

**Chapter 16 – When A Man Loves A Woman**

 _Friday, August 31, 2035  
(Continued)_

 _Ana_

I reschedule my 2 o'clock meeting with R&D. They needed additional time to run testing on a prototype featuring groundbreaking GEH patented technology. So instead of meeting with them, I use this time to catch up on phone calls from this morning.

Normally Lola emails me a summary of my missed calls and voicemails, which automatically get routed to a folder labeled ' _Calls to Return._ ' But since I'm here in my office ahead of schedule, and the red message light on my desk phone is still blinking, I go ahead and playback the voicemails myself.

The first two messages are from the heads of our New York and Chicago offices, respectively. They each had questions about the big GEH leadership summit coming early next year, which I am helping to organize. Scheduled for January in The Swiss Alps, all attendees will have a chance to ski as well as participate in some team building exercises.

I'm especially looking forward to this trip since Christian is _finally_ content in my ability to ski. It took that man many years to finally let me hit the slopes near our place in Aspen. He had to relent when our children were of age to hit the bunny slopes.

My next call was from a woman named _Michelle Leahy_.

 _"Mrs. Grey – My name is Michelle Leahy. I'm a producer on MTV."_

" _MTV?_ " I mouth to myself, thrown off.

 _What does MTV want with me?_

 _"I received your direct number from your daughters, Bethany and Brianna. I wanted to reach out to you about featuring them in a reality show that begins filming in Seattle in just two weeks called_ _ **The Teens of Mercer Island**_ _."_

Oh no.

 _"I've interviewed your daughters at school after spotting them in the cafeteria, and I think that they would be absolutely perfect for the show. We really would like them to be a part of it, but since they'll only be 17 at the start of filming, we need your full permission in order to sign them on."_

Geez, this sounds like a _bad_ idea all around. But knowing my girls, they are more than anxious to take part in this potential train wreck. Michelle Leahy rattles off her phone number and I quickly jot it down on a nearby notepad. Ignoring the remaining voice messages, I exit the menu and dial the number. She answers after only two rings.

"Michelle Leahy speaking."

"Hello, this is Ana Grey – you called me earlier. I'm Brie and Beth Grey's mom."

"Oh God, _yes_. Thank you _so much_ for calling me back," she says excitedly.

Lord. I know I'm going to have to hurt this poor woman's feelings.  
And if it's not me, it'll _definitely_ be my husband.

A sleazy reality show?! It's bad enough that Sloan's mother, Elliot's ex, was featured in one. I'd be damned if my daughters are exploited on national television…no, **_global television_** – and made into unflattering memes that are splattered all across social media.

"As I mentioned in my message, we are filming a new reality show which spotlights teens in beau monde Seattle…"

 _Beau monde_? So it's a show about spoiled rich kids.

Okay, so my kids _are_ rich. And lately, they have been behaving kind of spoiled. But in Christian's and my defense, it's not a behavior that we tolerate. We are constantly driving humility into our children. I believe that Beth and Brie will eventually _get it_ once they leave home and meet other people – _friends_ who don't happen to have all of the things that they do.

"…While at school, participating in extracurricular activities, or just hanging out with friends and family."

Everyone knows that these shows are scripted, especially if the ' _story'_ isn't going in the direction that the producers want it to go. It may seem like an exciting undertaking at first, but it'll be something that the girls would soon regret being a part of. They'd be putting their entire lives out on display, leaving room for others to judge them. They'd no longer be able to hide under the anonymity that Christian and I have fought so hard to keep them under. They wouldn't be able to just ' _go to the mall'_ anymore.

 _We'd have to beef-up security._

What am I thinking? The answer is _'no'_ for me. And even if I wanted the girls to do it, Christian will **_definitely_** say ' _no'_.

"Miss Leahy…" I start, already sounding regretful.

"Michelle – _please_ ," she warmly insists.

It's rather obvious that she picked up on my disinclination. Hell, I can't say _no_ just now. I should talk this over tonight with Christian and the girls. That way, the twins will see firsthand that our decision doesn't come lightly. _Christian and I won't allow the twins to be exploited._

"Michelle. I need to sit down with my husband and our daughters to discuss this opportunity in detail. If you have any documentation that you could send me…"

"I gave an info packet to the girls earlier, so you should have it when you see them tonight," she says eagerly. "I really hope that you and your husband decide to let us work with your beautiful daughters. They are both so intelligent, full of life, and they would give our show _exactly_ what it needs. I've interviewed other students at the school, and many of them agree that your twins are such positive role models. I believe that _the world_ will also come know your daughters in the same light, once the show airs."

This woman is obviously _very good_ at what she does. The network must sic her on all of the difficult parents.

"Thank you, Michelle. We'll discuss this over the weekend and I'll give you a call back first thing Monday." _With my '_ _ **no**_ _' answer._ "How does that sound?" I say kindly.

I don't know why I'm prolonging this, but I'd be doing my twins a disservice if I decline the offer without first discussing as a family why this is such a _ridiculous_ idea.

"Excellent. I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, call me anytime. If I don't answer right away, leave a message and I'll get right back to you."

"Sure thing, Michelle. Thank you."

"No, thank _you_. I'm so excited to have your girls on the show!"

 _You don't have them yet, lady._

We say our goodbyes and hang up. I place my elbows on my desk and lay my head in my palms before letting out a deep sigh. I am _not_ looking forward to this conversation tonight. The twins are going to absolutely freak after they hear what their father and I have to say about this.

 _I think I'll have an entire bottle of wine to myself when this is all done._

As I take in a second deep calming breath, my side door swings open. Startled, I look up to see my husband barging in. He looks _pissed_.

Not wearing his gray suit jacket, his white dress shirt is slightly wrinkled, and his slate blue tie hangs loose. His thick silver hair is all over the place.

 _Fuck, did he get the call from the MTV producer too?  
If so, I didn't expect for him to be __**this**_ _upset about it._

Christian plops down on my sofa without uttering a word. I stand from my desk and walk around it to join him. I smooth down the back of my cream dress and take a seat by his side.

"Christian…"

"Have you been checking your emails or voicemails? Seems like no one's bothering to do that these days," he claws.

 _Whoa, he's certainly being a dick today._

"I was in the process of doing that before you came barging in here," I strike back. "I've been in meetings all morning and right through lunch. My 2 o'clock just got rescheduled, so I had time to play _catch up_."

He closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath in order to calm himself down. He looks my way once more.

"Your daughter and her boyfriend just cost this company _fifty million dollars_ ," he says slowly through gritted teeth. I gape at him.

" _What_?! How?" I ask, taken aback.

 _Fifty million?!_ No, not Hanson…and _definitely_ not Phoebe. They are two of the most thorough people that I know.

"I scheduled Hanson's pre-read for this morning…"

"Wait, _this morning_? I didn't know about this," I interrupt. Christian agreed that we'd do the pre-read sometime next week. Why did he bump it up?

"I heard rumblings that things weren't going as well as I'd hope with Hanson's data scrub. So I had to see things for myself," Christian says. I narrow my eyes at him.

 _Really Christian? You of all people despise hearsay._

" _Who_ did you hear this from?" I ask, tilting my head skeptically.

"It doesn't matter. You know that we pride ourselves in our exceptional ESI scores, so if I hear anything that's of the contrary, I'm going to look into that."

"And you couldn't say anything to _me_ about this?" I volley.

If we ever discussed work at home at length, Christian would've known that I've been walking through Hanson's draft with him _and_ Phoebe. But years ago, Christian and I put a stop to that. We wanted to create the appropriate work/life balance between us. _Maybe we've gone too far overboard with our good intentions._

"I _tried_. You've been in meetings all morning," Christian says, frustrated.

"Yes, and normally you are too – but you managed to schedule an impromptu pre-read without my knowledge. But _anyway_ , what happened?" I ask, shaking my head in frustration.

"The current supply forecast for Stuttgart showed that they were severely under ordering and wouldn't reach their target by year end," he tells me.

I scoff. "That's ridiculous. If anything, the Germans have been spending way too much up until this point. They would've had to pull back on spending in the last quarter," I tell him.

"Exactly. But the error was broadcasted on the big screen during Hanson's pre-read – as clear as day. But that wasn't the worse part of it," Christian prefaces. And I can tell that he's starting to get mad all over again.

 _Oh, Fifty._

" _Your_ daughter, Phoebe…"

 _So she's just_ _ **my**_ _daughter now.  
_ Good grief.

"…Sent that very same draft over to Ingrid Fischer who in turn shared it with logistics."

"Why would Phoebe send Stuttgart that draft? I know that she normally sends Ingrid the weekly report out on Thursdays. That's what logistics is supposed to go by."

"Well, once they saw the forecasted spend in Hanson's draft, they were scared shitless – thinking they'd lose their budget for next year if they didn't meet the goal for _this year_. So like _idiots_ , they issued a $50 million purchase order to the suppliers. Many of those suppliers knew that this was an unusual order, so they hurried up and started fulfillment right away so that Stuttgart couldn't rescind. **Fuck**!"

Christian kicks the coffee table in front of him and it falls on its side, cascading the magazines that once sat on top to the floor. _Holy shit._ My nerves are all over the place as I watch my husband boil over. He takes a few additional deep breaths, which doesn't appear to be helping him any.

"I told Hanson and Phoebe that if staying together is causing them to be distracted at work, then perhaps their living situation needs to be _reevaluated_."

"Christian, don't be ridiculous," I sigh. "They've been together since Phoebe was a junior in high school. Now, she's a junior in college. Her schoolwork has _never_ suffered as a result of their relationship. Hanson's work has been top-notch. I've never seen him make this kind of mistake," I argue.

"Neither have I, but the first mistake he makes costs this fucking company **_fifty million_**! I don't think that we can afford any more of Hanson's _rare_ mistakes," Christian seethes.

"It was a _draft_ , Christian. A draft that Stuttgart shouldn't have even received, much less processed such a large PO from it," I reason. "When is Germany going to be held accountable?"

"Oh, don't you worry Ana, I've got HR on the case _right this second_ ," he says with a flustered chuckle that doesn't correspond to the look of sheer rage on his gorgeous face. "Ten people are about to lose their asses today because of this."

 _Holy shit. Hell hath no fury like a Fifty scorned._

"Fair enough," I acquiesce. "But if you ask me, I'm not understanding why Hanson and Phoebe are receiving the brunt of the blame. I've actually been working with them on their draft."

Christian's brows rise in surprise.

"This _so-called_ $50 million deficit in Stuttgart orders…I never saw that in the drafts that Hanson and Phoebe showed me."

Christian digs his elbows into his thighs and drops his face against his palms. His hands soon rise up to run through his hair. Whenever he's upset or frustrated, his kempt hair is usually the first casualty.

"It was such a _stupid_ error. Hanson would've caught it even as an intern," Christian grumbles.

"Yes…I _know_ ," I echo. On that note, I stand, walk over to my desk, and retrieve my laptop from the dock. I bring it back around and reclaim my seat on the sofa next to Christian.

I pull up the two-week old email from Hanson.

* * *

From: Hanson Larkin  
Subject: Forecast Draft for 2040 Propel the Future  
Date: August 15, 2035 22:14  
To: Anastasia R. Grey

Dear Ana,

Here's the draft as discussed. I welcome any additional feedback you may have.

As stated before, I sincerely appreciate your help in making this deck perfect before I present the final product to you, Mr. Grey, and your executive staff. Your guidance means more to me than you know.

Best Regards / Mit Freundlichen Grüßen / Saludos / Cordialement /  
Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu

Hanson Larkin  
Manager, Data Analytics – Global Team #3  
Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

 _Attachment: 2040PTFDraft_v8.5_

* * *

I open the attachment.

"Did you sign off on his most recent update?" Christian asks with a frown.

"I didn't _sign off_ on _anything_. I thought we had more time before his pre-read," I hiss back. "I also allowed for additional time in case he caught any errors on his own and submitted revisions. However, I did review _this_ draft." I parse the file until I reach the section labeled _Stuttgart_.

"I reviewed this in the car on the way home from work on two separate occasions," I say, studying the file for a third time. I allow my eyes scroll the page up and down. _There it is._ "See…there's nothing here showing an ordering deficit. _This_ says that everything was on par for this year," I say to Christian, stabbing the evidence on the screen with my index finger.

His head jerks back ever so slightly. "Yeah, that's the slide in question. I'm not seeing the same deficit in this version," Christian says with a furrowed brow.

"Exactly."

"But he sent you this draft two weeks ago. Do you have anything more recent?"

"This is the latest I have. As I said, everything he and Phoebe has shown me looked _fine_ ," I reiterate. "They've only added more slides to the deck from draft to draft, not changing any existing output."

"So who dropped the ball? How did that fucking error get in there?" he says heatedly.

"I don't know. But whatever you do, don't be so quick to pin this on Phoebe, _or_ Hanson for that matter," I respond, maintaining my cool.

Christian needs to simmer down and think rationally about this. He shouldn't be so swift to judgment without knowing all of the facts. I've been working on this with the kids. From what I witnessed, they've done exceptional work up until now. _There has to be a clear explanation as to why this most recent event happened._

"As a leader, Hanson must be held accountable for the actions of his team," he says sternly. I gape at him.

"Are you going to fire him too?" I ask, fearful of his answer.

Christian takes a deep breath, but I know that I need to speak first in order to soften the blow. I don't want him making the rash decision of firing our daughter's boyfriend. Hanson has been through a lot as it is. This young man has dedicated three years of his life to this company. He's worked his ass off to get to where he is.

"Look, I can mitigate some of the damage. I'll get Ros in here and the two of us can start making the calls to the suppliers. We can put a stop to some of these orders and rescind the POs," I propose.

"What about those who already began fulfillment?" Christian asks.

"We'll ask them to cancel," I respond. "For those suppliers who will have a hard time with us cancelling their POs, I'll negotiate an exclusive deal guaranteeing our business for the next five years if they comply. If anything, they will come out better if they lock us into an agreement for future commitments, versus getting on our bad side by not refunding us now."

My husband narrows his eyes at me, but then I witness his twitching lips.

 _I've won him over._

"We can fix this, okay?" I say, placing my hands on his cheeks. He closes his eyes and leans into my touch. When his eyes reopen, he takes my hands and holds them steady.

"I have to pull Hanson and his team off the project and bring in a different analytics team in order to run damage control," he says.

I nod soberly. "I understand." This isn't going to make Hanson or Phoebe feel great, but it's way better than the alternative.

"I don't believe that any of the other teams will bring the same freshness as Hanson's," I say regretfully. "I guess the only positive thing from all of this is that Hanson won't have to work such late hours anymore. Also, Diana will be able to spend more time at home with Teddy," I add.

Christian winces as if I just said the magic word.

" _What_?" I say, confused by his reaction. He finally releases my hands.

"I just had a thought. I'm going to appoint Ted as _Project Director_ of _2040 Propel the Future_."

 _Erm…what?_

"Teddy has way too many things on his plate already. He's overseeing _four_ major acquisitions right now," I argue.

"Marco can handle that. PTF is much more important right now," Christian counters.

"Do you hear yourself? You're talking about bringing our son in as head of the biggest initiative in the history of our company. It's the very same project that you _just_ decided to remove his _best friend_ , his _sister_ , and his _girlfriend_ from. Don't you think that's a little _backhanded_?" I say, _not_ skimping out on the irony.

I mean seriously, Grey.  
 _Do you really want to pit our children and their significant others against each other?_

"It is _not_ backhanded," Christian strikes back. "Hanson was only responsible for forecasting. Ted would be responsible for _everything_. I'll even let Ted appoint anyone that he wants on his team."

"Even Hanson?" I interject.

"No."

"You said ' _anyone_ '," I remind him.

"He can receive input from Hanson, but I don't want him as a dedicated resource on Ted's team. It would send the wrong message."

"Fair enough," I concede. "What about Diana? Can _she_ be on Teddy's team?"

"Sure."

"Phoebe?" I add.

He sighs. "Ana – _stop_. You're notorious for doing that."

" _Notorious_ for what?" I say, playing up my naiveté.

"You know _exactly_ what you're doing," he smirks at me. "As director of the initiative, Ted will be appointed executive," he continues.

"So it's a promotion," I say.

Christian nods. "We will no longer have managers or lower handle executive-level responsibilities. As the executive for this project, Ted will have the final say before it gets to us. _Ted_ will be responsible for presenting all content to the rest of the executive staff."

My lips tighten up in a line and I nod. "Fair enough. But will he want the job, especially with all of the baggage that comes along with it? He's guaranteed Marco's VP position next year, so he's already an _executive in training_."

"Yes, but this puts him in the role of executive _now_. 2040 PTF will start gaining traction in the next year or so. At that time, Ted will be invited to do public speaking events on the topic of leadership. The media will want a piece of him. Ted will be the new face of the company if he takes the director job. He won't have the same visibility as VP of M &A. Nobody gives a shit about that role."

I gasp. "Christian, that's _not_ true. Marco's role is extremely vital to our company," I counter.

" _We_ know that, but the rest of the world doesn't. 2040 PTF is not only going to revolutionize the way that we do business, but it'll change the landscape for everyone that we do business with. This project affects the _Apples_ , the _Microsofts_ …the _Amazons_. It affects government on a global scale. That's what the world wants to talk about. They don't care about the next decaying company that GEH acquires and flips around. We've been doing that for decades."

This is heavy. _Really_ heavy. I want to scream, ' _But he's our baby! He's only 22!_ ' However, I know what Christian's response will be. He will go on and on about how he started his company from nothing at the bright young age of 21, _without_ a college degree mind you.

My hands are now tied. _It's quite the analogy coming from the wife of an ex-dominant._  
The decision now lies on Teddy. Looking at me, Christian notices my reservation right away. He tenderly glides the back of his hand across my cheek.

"Bunny, this will be the perfect opportunity for us _and_ for Ted to see if he can handle taking over this company after we're long gone," he says before leaning in to press a gentle kiss to my lips.

* * *

 _Ted_

While in my office, I reach out to Derrick over in IT letting him know that I'll soon be in touch regarding a confidential request.

One thing about _investigating_ that I've learned over the years from hanging around the likes of Mr. Taylor and Luke Sawyer: _Never disclose that there is an investigation_. I adore my girlfriend – _trust her_ even. But I can't tell her what's going on behind the scenes, at least until _I_ can figure out what the fuck's going on.

Like clockwork, I see Diana standing through the glass on the other side of my door with concern etched on her sweet face. I wave her in and she shuts the door after entering.

"What happened? I heard that Hanson's pre-read went _badly_ ," she starts as she takes the seat opposite my desk. "Then I saw Phoebe running out of Hanson's office crying after your dad went in there."

I nod. "It didn't go well," I say soberly.

"What's going on? What did your dad say?" she probes frantically.

"There was an error in the data, which got _leaked_ to Stuttgart. They expedited a _fifty million dollar_ purchase order as a result of that error."

Diana eyes grow big and wide. She's in total shock. " _Holy shit_. They actually placed orders based on a _draft_?"

"Yep," I say, fit to be tied.

"Who does that?!" she gapes.

"They do, apparently. So needless to say, my dad's on a rampage. I heard HR's been _very_ busy this afternoon," I say in humor, but I feel anything _but_ humorous.

" _Whoa_ ," she says fearfully. "Is your dad talking about letting go of the entire team that worked on Hanson's deck?"

I shake my head. "I don't see him doing that. Even if he wants to, Mom wont let him. In fact, he's probably up there talking to her now."

"Damn, this is just awful. I feel _horrible_ for Hanson, truly," Diana breathes.

"I do too. He doesn't deserve this. _Phoebe_ doesn't deserve this," I say soberly.

"Phoebe? What happened with her?" she asks in an elevated tone.

"The email that went to Germany with the faulty draft attached came from her," I reveal.

Diana closes her eyes.

"Yeah," I say. "It was just a draft. The shit has definitely hit the fan."

"That's why she left crying," Diana deduces.

"Well, _that_ and my father pretty much told them to stop living together."

"Are you serious?" she gapes.

I nod. "Yep."

Diana clutches her stomach. She looks as if she's going to be sick. This whole thing is obviously affecting her too. Not only is Diana a major contributor to Hanson's team, but she and my sister have become quite close during their time working together.

I stand from my chair. "Come here," I call to her. She rises slowly and I meet her half way. I pull her to my chest for an embrace and squeeze her. She hugs me back.

"It's going to be alright. Hanson and Phoebe…they'll be fine," I assure her in a murmur. I plant a kiss on top of her soft head of hair. She holds me tighter.

Suddenly, my desk phone lets out a blaring ring startling the two of us. Quickly, I dart over to my desk and read the screen. My chest sinks.

"Fuck, it's my dad," I sigh. Diane's eyes grow round. I pick up, still standing.

"Dad?"

"Son – I need to see you in my office."

Holy shit. "Right now?" I ask.

"Yes, now. Clear your calendar for the next hour," he orders.

"Sure. I'll be there shortly," I respond. He hangs up and I stand there, frozen.

"What happened?" Diana asks.

"He wants me in his office right now," I respond, finally moving to place the phone back on the receiver.

"Did he sound upset?"

"I couldn't tell. He didn't sound mad, but my father is a very difficult person to read," I reveal.

" _Go_. We'll talk later," she says before walking over to hug me once more.

….

As I sit on the opposite side of my father's colossal solid oak desk, a million things are running through my head all at once.

It's like a tidal wave just hit me. I'm left utterly speechless after my father's bombardment of sentences. Sentences that I have yet to unravel and dissect.

 _This is all_ _ **too**_ _sudden._

My father picks up where he left off.

"It's going to take about two weeks for your office on the 19th floor to complete construction. You'll stay where you are in the meantime. We'll hire you an assistant and you can begin to assemble your team. If you need to hire externally, coordinate that with HR."

 _Speak up, Ted!  
Tell him you'll need more time._

"Can I _think_ about this?" I finally manage to drag out of myself.

My father looks at me as if I'd just grown an arm through the center of my forehead.

" _Son_ …I've just _quadrupled_ your salary."

" _I_ …I know…" I stutter.

"This position will cement your name as one of the world's most innovative leaders," he says rigidly.

"Yeah, _I underst_ …"

"When 2040 PTF reaches its maturity, there won't be doubt in anyone's mind that you're not just some kid who got to where he is simply because of _who_ his parents are. You'll have credibility, all on your own accord. A legacy that no one can take away from you."

" _Tha_ …that's exactly what I want…" I stammer.

"Then what is there to _think_ about?" my father volleys.

 _Fuck it. Might as well just come out and say it._

"If I take this job, I am going to make some people upset – _one hundred percent_ ," I tell him, point blank.

My father sighs and rubs his temples.

"That's the cost of being the boss, Ted," Dad replies with a shrug of his shoulder.

"I want to go home and think about this over the weekend. I need to have some conversations with the people who this decision will impact before I give you my final answer."

"Ted, _come on_. Don't be ridiculous…" my dad says, exasperated.

I cut him off. "I'm serious, Dad. I want to do this my way. I'll give you my answer first thing Monday morning. Will that work?"

"Fine," he says through gritted teeth.

"Thank you," I say with a faint smile as I stand. My father stands with me.

"You sure you and Diana don't want to come by the house Sunday for dinner? You can give me your answer then," he smirks. I laugh as I saunter around his desk and immediately wrap my arms around him. He stills for a beat before he hugs me back.

"Monday morning, I promise," I say before smacking a playful kiss on his stubbly cheek.

I quickly look back at him in time to catch his baffled frown. I can't remember the last time I kissed my dad – and it's rather obvious that he can't either. He fights a grin as I step back.

"Have a good weekend, son."

"You too, Dad. Tell Mom that I'd like to see her before either of us leave today."

"I will."

….

Five minutes after I've returned to my office, I see Diana once more through the glass door. I grin before waving her in. She enters, shuts the door, and sits in the same chair she occupied earlier.

" _So_?" she prompts.

"So," I tease. She twirls her right hand in a circle, signaling me to _get on with it_.

"I'm going to stick around for about an hour today before going home. I'd like to meet with a couple of people for 15 minutes each," I tell her.

" _Meet_? About what?"

"Well since you're here, I'll start with you. You were one of the people that I was going to call in here," I reveal.

"Really?" she says with wide eyes. "What's going on?"

"My dad wants to appoint me as _Project Director_ of _2040 Propel the Future_."

"Holy shit," she says, completely flabbergasted. " _That's_ … _amazing_ , Teddy," she gushes as her smile ignites the entire room.

"I didn't take the job. _Yet_ ," I admit.

" _What_?! This is the opportunity of a lifetime. You'll be an executive now, right?" she asks. I nod. "A raise? Twice the salary?"

"Four times," I say matter-of-factly.

" _Fuck, me_ ," she wheezes, eyes gaping.

"Oh, I will. _Tonight_ ," I murmur, gawking at her with bedroom eyes.

" _Teddy_!" she scolds. I laugh.

"Seriously, I want to make sure that the people I care most about are okay with me taking the job," I say to her.

"I'm good with it. Who else needs to be?" she asks.

"Well, there's my sister and Hanson."

"It's going to be a touchy situation for them. The wound is still fresh. But if they truly love and care for you, they'll understand that this is for the betterment of your career. It's nothing personal," Diana puts it plainly.

"I get that. But there are other things in play, too. For one, I get to assemble my own team. I can choose anyone I'd like. Anyone, _except_ for Hanson and Phoebe."

"Oh," she says soberly, now understanding the gravity of the situation.

"So I need to talk with them first. I'm also interested in a few people in the building, so I need to see if they are willing to drop what they are doing and work for me for the next… _four_ years."

Diana sits straight up and looks right at me with doe eyes.

 _Fuck, this is going to be difficult._

"Another conundrum that I have to face is that I _can't_ pick you."

Her brows raise up. "What do you mean? Did your dad list me as someone who couldn't be a part of this because I work for Hanson? If so, I'm not even responsible for the data mining outside of Asia. I have _nothing_ to do with Germany," she says staunchly in her defense.

"Yeah, _I know_ ," I say as I bow my head to run my hands through my hair in frustration. "I don't think it would be fair to undercut Hanson and bring you on board. _Now_ do you see why this is so difficult for me?" I say, flustered. Diana just sits there wearing a blank expression. She obviously doesn't understand my plight.

 _I give up._

"Fuck it, maybe I _shouldn't_ take the job. This is a complete mess," I mutter. She winces at me.

"Ted, don't be stupid! Take the job! It's okay… _honestly_. I'm fine with not being pulled into your team," she says warmly.

"Are you sure?" I ask, searching her face for her honesty. It's there.

"Yes. This is a _really big deal_ , Teddy. You _need_ this. This is going to change your life. _Our_ lives. Go ahead, talk to Hanson and Phoebe. We'll discuss everything when I get home tonight," Diana says lovingly.

 _She's exactly right. This move is going to push me further along than what I'd planned for around this time._

We both stand from our chairs and meet in the middle. I rub my hand against her soft, long dark hair. She raises her chin and looks up at me.

"Do you have to work late tonight?" I ask quietly. She nods. I lower my head to kiss her mouth. "Don't work too late. We're going out for Thai."

"I won't," she beams before we kiss once more.

* * *

 _Ana_

I stop by to see Teddy in his office briefly before I leave to meet Gloria out front.

I'm now on my way to Phoebe's apartment to check in on her. Hanson told me that she's been inconsolable ever since the shouting match took place with her father earlier. Even Teddy tried to get ahold of her so he could tell her about his new appointment that still hangs in the balance. But even he was unsuccessful in reaching her.

Today, I managed to salvage about $30 million dollars after a dozen conference calls in the course of three hours. $20 million more might be rescued by Monday morning. That means I will probably have to make it in to the office by 6 am to get a jump on that. I hope this good news will somewhat soften the huge blow that my daughter just experienced today.

"How was your day, Ana?" Gloria calls back to me as she shifts the car into drive.

"You don't want to know," I sigh.

"One of _those_ kind of days, huh?" she muses with her thick Boston accent.

"Yes, ma'am. I need to see Miss Phoebe in order to talk her off the ledge. She and her father had a little _spat_ earlier at work today. I just got done cleaning up most of the mess that caused their riff," I smirk. Gloria lets out a boisterous laugh.

"A mother's work is _never_ done," she quips.

"Nope," I beam at her through the review mirror.

When we reach Hanson and Phoebe's apartment, I ring their buzzer four times. Thankfully, my daughter provided me with an emergency key fob, so I use it to enter through the secured entrance before moving past the security station and taking the elevator up to the fifth floor.

When I arrive at the apartment suite and open the door, I see my baby girl vegging out on the sofa. She turns from the television and looks at me as she hugs a gallon of ice cream. Already in her flannel PJs, she's balled up and wrapped inside of a fleece throw blanket.

"Phoebe, sweetheart. I was just ringing the doorbell," I say, placing my Louis Vuitton shoulder bag on the table in the foyer. I then hang my jacket up on the nearby coat rack.

"I'm sorry," she says sullenly.

I take a seat next to her and pull her into my side. She lays her head on my shoulder.

"What flavor is that?" I ask, pointing to the carton in her hand.

"Salted caramel," she says, muffled.

"One of my favorites," I remark.

"I know," she says before handing me the carton and spoon.

 _Sure, what the hell.  
_ I pull my arm from under her and dig in.

" _Mmm_ , this is _amazing_ ," I groan with a mouthful of cold, creamy goodness.  
There's something about the marriage between sweet and salty that's heavenly.  
 _This is absolutely glorious._

"I presume that Dad has filled you in. Are you here to tell me that I'm fired?" she says pitifully.

"Honey, you're _not_ fired. Don't be ridiculous," I scoff.

" _Ridiculous_? My mistake just cost the company $50 million. What about Hanson? Is he going to be fired or demoted?" she says in a huff.

"No, sweetheart. No one's getting demoted, and no one's getting fired. Well, at least not in _our_ building," I tell her.

"Gosh – so that means some of the team in Germany's getting the axe."

"Unfortunately they made a really bad call. We had to let Ingrid go as well as ten others in logistics, purchasing, and finance," I say regretfully.

"Oh man, _poor Ingrid_. This whole thing just _sucks_ ," Phoebe groans.

"I know, honey," I reply. I place the ice cream down on the coffee table before pulling my oldest daughter back into my side. Her head falls to my bosom. Memories of my little girl immediately begin to flood me. I begin rubbing her side as I've done many times before whenever my sweet girl needed her mommy to comfort her.

"I didn't mean to send her that file yesterday. I was trying to send her the weekly forecast. Somehow, the files got mixed up. I don't know how that could've even happened," she murmurs against my blouse.

"Well, the good news is that I was able to salvage $30 million with some negotiation. We're working on the last twenty. Everything's going to be fine," I assure her.

" _Mom_ , thank you," Phoebe sighs, squeezing me.

"Not a problem. It's going to be okay, dear. We all make mistakes."

Phoebe lifts her head from me and sits up. "But this is a mistake that I _don't_ understand. The draft copies I had before yesterday _never_ showed any under-spending in Stuttgart."

"I showed your father what I had, and it wasn't what he saw in the pre-read. But that was the file that Hanson sent me two weeks ago."

"This is _so weird_!" she growls in frustration.

"Don't worry about it. The stress of PTF is over for you. That's the good news. But there's something else that I need to tell you," I preface. Her eyes grow in concern.

"Oh no – am I on probation? Is _Hanson_?"

"No sweetheart, stop freaking out. You and Hanson are fine. What I was going to say is that your brother tried to get ahold of you earlier. Your father wants to appoint him as the director of PTF. He'll be promoted to executive and will have his own team," I reveal.

" _Wow_ …I mean that's great, for _Ted_ ," she says with an unreadable expression.

"Teddy hasn't accepted the offer. He wants to make sure that you and Hanson are okay with him taking it."

My daughter's eyes grow big and wide.

" _Whoa_ ," she gasps. I smile lovingly and nod.

"He wants to talk to you. He was on his way to meet with Hanson before I headed here. He's already spoken to Diana about it."

Phoebe blinks. "Is Diana going to be on his team?"

"No. If he can't have you or Hanson, he doesn't think that it's fair for Diana to be included…or _anyone_ from Hanson's team for that matter."

"That's – _heavy_ ," my daughter says, at a loss for words.

"I'd say," I beam at her.

Words can't describe how proud I am of my Teddy. Always thinking of others ahead of himself. He's going to make an _excellent_ CEO someday.

"I'll call him in the morning. But if you speak to him before I do, tell him that I want him to take the job. He'd be foolish not to," she smiles.

"That's really sweet of you, honey," I say, kissing her on the cheek.

"Since you're here, I want to run something by you," she starts.

"Alright. Hit me."

"Since Dad seems to think that Hanson and I are _distracting_ one another, I propose that I be moved out of analytics."

I gape at her. "Phoebe, you _love_ working with numbers. You belong in analytics, at least until after you're done with school and join the NGP."

"I understand that, but I want to be relocated. Hanson is an _awesome_ manager and he has the opportunity to grow into being an executive in no time flat – just like Ted. I still have a ways to go being that I'm in school. I'd like to spend this time learning other areas in the company."

My heart melts at hearing how much she cares for Hanson and wants what's best for him. But at the same time, she realizes that she has an opportunity to explore her own growth as well.

"How about Grey Publishing? Are you interested in interning there as a clerk?" I propose.

"Sure, I love books. It'll be great to see what it is that they do there," she replies with hope returning in her eyes.

"Now keep in mind that this assignment will take you outside of Grey House. You'll be working fifteen minutes away," I warn her.

"I'm good with that."

"Alright, I'll shoot HR an email on my way home and get the ball rolling."

"Thank you, Mom," she says, hugging me once more. I squeeze her back.

"Are you and Hanson coming over to the house for dinner on Sunday?" I ask.

She looks up at me and smirks. "I think we need a couple of weekends away from Dad in order to lick our wounds."

"Phoebe, you know that everything's fine now. I'd like you two over for dinner," I insist.

"We'll be there…in _two weeks_ ," she says stubbornly, still wearing a grin.

….

In the great room, Christian and I cuddle on the sofa near the lit fireplace. After all of the chaos that went on at work earlier, I finally had the chance to fill him in after dinner about the phone call I had this afternoon with the MTV producer. I told the girls not to bring any of it up until _after_ I had a chance to bring their father up to speed.

The twins should be on their way here shortly, but I'm not feeling so hot about the potential outcome of this family meeting. Just as I expected, Christian isn't sold on this reality show business _at all_. But neither am I.

"I wonder why the producer called you instead of me," he smirks.

"They _always_ call the mother first for these things," I giggle.

"There's a reason for everything, Mrs. Grey. I would've cursed her out immediately if she called me instead," he says bitterly.

I laugh. "You wouldn't have cursed at that sweet lady. Regardless of what you say Mr. Grey, you are still a _complete gentleman_ ," I sass, planting a kiss on his cheek.

Just then, Brie and Beth make their way into the great room with Topher in tow, all three in their pajamas. The kids surround us on the sofa – with Beth getting comfortable next to her father, and Brie sitting next to me with Topher in her lap. Christian and I both untangle and sit upright.

"What's Topher doing here? He's supposed to be in bed," I say, displeased.

"No bed!" the youngest _Mr. Grey_ gripes.

"He's here as our buffer," Beth says with a grin.

"It'll be impossible for you to say ' _no'_ to us with this adorable little face staring back at you," Brie says, pinching her baby brother's cheeks.

"Try me," Christian challenges, not amused in the slightest.

" _Daddy_ ," Beth whines next to him.

"Do you want to hear what I have to say?" Christian starts.

 _Oh boy._

"Only if it's a _'yes'_ ," Brie smirks at my side.

I close my eyes in exasperation.  
 _These girls are going to be absolutely inconsolable.  
I can feel it._

"You two being featured on this _reality show_ will thrust you into the public eye. It's not going to end well, I guarantee it," Christian says in stern warning.

 _You tell 'em, Tiger._

"Daddy – you are _sooo_ overprotective," Beth whimpers.

"Yeah, I mean shouldn't you allow your children to take calculated risks? Isn't that how we grow and become mature young adults?" Brie tag-teams.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It's a chance to promote some of the wonderful things that GEH is doing, such as their contribution towards cleaner energy," Beth alley-oops.

Christian and I gape at the two of them; totally floored by the round of bullshit they are serving us.

"We can even have the camera crew follow us to a botanical garden, or even a charity event," Brie tacks on.

"What are you two yahoos even talking about?" I finally speak up. "You both have said to us on numerous occasions that you want absolutely _nothing_ to do with GEH," I remind them.

"Mom, if you want us at GEH, we'll intern there. It'll be great for the show," Beth says with sincere eyes.

"No thank you," Christian rejects. "We don't need you _or_ your television cameras at Grey House."

" _Our_ television cameras?" Brie says with excitement.

"So does that mean we're doing the show?" Beth says, equally ecstatic.

" _Girls_ …" I moan, exhausted.

I'm ready to get this impending nuclear explosion over with.

"Okay, so here's what we're going to do," Christian starts.

 _Shit, it's about to pop off._

"I'll agree to it…"

 _Yep, I knew…_

Wait a second. Did I just hear…?

 ** _What the fuck, Grey?!_**

" **Oh my God!** " Brie cries out in glee. She shifts her brother away from her lap and meets her sister in the middle and they leap up and down together in a celebratory dance and shout.

"Stop yelling!" Topher cries out with his little mitts placed over his ears.

"Christian!" I bark out at my husband in absolute horror.

What in the hell is he doing! Has he gone mad?!

"Wait a second!" Christian calls out to the screaming, jubilating girls. They stop mid-leap, still hugging one another.

"There _must_ be a clause in the final contract that says your mother and I can pull you out anytime we want. If the show is causing you or this family more harm than good, _that's it_. Do I make myself clear?" he says to the twins with glaring eyes. He's as serious as a heart attack.

"Yes!" Beth cheers.

"You two will be the only ones in this family featured on camera. Do you hear me? Not _me_ , not _your mother_ , not _Topher_ ," Christian spells out.

"I want to be on the camera!" Topher whines loudly.

I've had more than enough at this point. I finally speak my piece.  
"I think this is a _terrible_ idea. I don't want them to do it," I say firmly to my husband.

"Mom, _please_!" Brie begs, dropping down to her knees and hugging my legs. I pet her head.

"Honey, this is going to blow up in your pretty little faces. You mark my words," I coo my warning to her.

"It's going to be fine. You'll see," Beth says in assurance. I shake my head at the two of them.

"No clause, no show," Christian repeats. Beth sits next to her father again and hugs him. He is not even the slightest bit amused. I can tell that this was a _very_ difficult decision for him to make.

 _So why did he make it?! I thought that we both had to agree in order for something to move forward._

"We'll both make you _very_ proud. You'll see," she tells him. He doesn't look convinced.

I foresee me pulling the twins out of this dumpster fire if Christian doesn't beat me to it.

* * *

 _Ted_

Early evening at the penthouse, I sit in my study mulling over the whirlwind that took place at work today. From my Dad barking at Hanson and my sister, to him calling me into his office to offer me a killer promotion and raise.

And although Hanson is pushing me to take the new project director position, I'm not feeling 100% sold on it. I'm not sure why my father is doing this. _What's his angle?_

Perhaps he just wants to see if I can handle taking over GEH at a moment's notice. If that is the case, then I can see where he's coming from. However, I still think that it's shitty timing to appoint me to this spot right after he completely bans Hanson and Phoebe from the project.

I'm still dead set on getting to the root of all this. I'm looking forward to meeting with IT in the coming weeks to do some troubleshooting on what could've possibly happened with Hanson's report and how Stuttgart got their hands on it. I don't believe it's as simple as Phoebe just emailing it to them. She would've had no reason to send them a draft, period.

In the meantime, Hanson has sent me everything he's done for the 2040 PTF efforts so far. I need to know what I'll be getting myself into if accept my father's offer. I still would like to talk to Phoebe this weekend before making the final call.

In the middle of parsing some slides on my laptop, my cell phone buzzes. I look down to catch a local number that I've never seen before.

"Ted Grey," I answer.

"Teddy, its Sophie."

My heart stops.  
 _She finally called me_.

Her voice almost sounds timid, which isn't very typical of her. But many of the things I heard from her when she popped up at Grey House weren't very _typical Sophie behaviors_ either.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" she asks in a soft voice.

"No, not at all," I respond.

"So," she murmurs.

" _So_ ," I echo in return. I realize that my heart is racing. I slow down my breathing in an attempt to calm the nerves.

"My mom was granted temporary custody of my son almost two months ago," she reveals.

"So he's not in foster care."

"No – _thank God_. After DSS completes their investigation and comes up empty, I can move in with her and my son until I get back on my feet."

"So where are you staying now?" I ask.

"With my friend Stacey. She used to work at the Marriott with me."

"I remember her," I say. "She seemed nice."

"She's been awesome. I'll just be glad when I can pay her back for all that she's done for me," Sophie says so appreciatively.

"Are you just waiting for the investigation to conclude? Do you need anything else?" I inquirer.

" _Well,_ as I mentioned before, Aiden's parents got involved. They have never even met my son, yet they are trying to take him away from me," she says bitterly.

Again, it continues to boggles my mind how Sophie got herself tangled up in this mess. Aiden has been the root of all of her problems.

"Have you sought the council of a decent attorney?" I ask her.

"That was why I came to see you that day," she finally admits.

I figured that's what she needed.

"Look, I want to put you in touch with some good lawyers if I can," I start.

"I appreciate that. But I would like for you to keep that in your back pocket if you can," she says. My eyes narrow in confusion.

"What's going on, then?"

"Well, there's this non-profit child advocacy group that Stacey put me in touch with a few days ago. I _really_ want to see if they can help me," Sophie says in a hopeful voice.

"Sophie, I think we can do better than that. This is your kid we're talking about. Sometimes, it's the one with the biggest checkbook that wins the game, as slimy as that sounds. Don't Aiden's folks own a chain of car dealerships?" I pose the question to her.

"Sure they do. But I would like to exhaust all of my options before bringing you into all of this," she says sincerely.

Why _wouldn't_ she want me to help her if I have the ability to do so?

"Soph, _really_ – I don't mind helping," I assure her.

"But I _do_ mind. This whole ordeal may turn out to be more than what you bargained for," she says cryptically.

What exactly does she mean by this?  
Is she afraid that my father might find out?  
 _Her_ father?

"I've called you today because I know _exactly_ how you are. You're probably working hard behind the scenes to see how you can help. If you are, you can it stop now," she says with humor in her voice.

I grin.  
 _She's always known me so well._

"Fine," I smile through gritted teeth. "But I really do want to help."

"I'm certain that your parents are so very proud of you, Teddy. I don't want to cause any more friction between you and them," she says soberly.

I gape at the wall in front of me.

"Making sure that you're okay is kinda important," I respond. "You need to be in an environment to flourish after suffering under your ex."

"I know," she says quietly. "I will be. I'm just trying to remain positive."

I can't for the life of me understand why she was with that _druggy thieving creep_. The signs were all there, squarely pointing in the direction of him _not_ being a very good dude.

Why couldn't she have waited the 2 ½ years for me that I asked her to instead of jumping on the first train leading to _Nowhere'sville_?

Again, this isn't typical Sophie. There's something else obviously in play here.

Taylor taught his daughter how to protect herself as a young child. He taught her how to pick up on all the signs. Sophie was brought up learning how to keep far away from trouble. But the second she leaves her father's care, she erases all of those valuable lessons from her memory.

Although she's older than me, it seems as though I matured over the years, while she has regressed. Sophie was always the one out of the two of us who was the realist. She was the one who said that we should be very careful not to get caught together by our parents, or they'd interfere.

 _After we were split apart, it seems that she stopped being careful about everything._

The very thought sinks my gut.

"The second you need anything, you call me. _Promise_?" I say to her.

" _Teddy_ ," she says, hesitating.

"Sophie, promise me you'll call the second you need anything. I'm here," I tell her again.

"I promise," she answers quietly. It seems as if she's holding something back, but she doesn't share. "Later, Teddy," she says tenderly.

"Later," I reply. She hangs up first and I place my cell on the desk.

Just then, the door to my study creeps open – startling me. Diana surfaces. Her expression immediately tells me that she isn't happy. It's apparent that she just heard me say Sophie's name.

 _Diana has never entered into any room I was in without knocking first._

"Diana…"

"I _don't_ appreciate you helping her," she gripes, her body tense.

"I'm _not_ helping her. In fact, she just called to tell me _not_ to help her," I argue in my defense.

"Don't get tangled up in her drama. You have _way_ much more to lose than she does," she says in a staunch warning. I wince at her.

 _What exactly does she mean by that?_

And something tells me that it could be _her_ that I'll lose if I don't get my head on straight.

* * *

 _Ana_

"Baby, are you still upset with me?" he purrs quietly in my ear. He plants a kiss on my temple.

Christian and I are in bed, and I'm still beside myself. _He's actually permitting our twin daughters to star in a reality television show._

 _A reality show!_

"I'm just…in _shock_ ," I say.

"I believe the conditions I set were more than fair," he says with a smirk.

I sigh. "Why are we even letting them do this in the first place?"

"Because it's better that they do this now while we can still protect them. If they were to do this at 18, we wouldn't be able to pull them out of it. They'd be stuck in it, for better or for worse," he simply says.

Fair point well made, Mr. Grey.

"I'm thrown that _I_ had to be the bad guy tonight and not you," I say with perched lips. He leans in to kiss them.

"The twins so happen to be in luck today. Their big sister almost cost us $50 million, while their big brother drags his behind in taking a career-changing director's job," he sighs. "I was feeling rather generous this evening. I'd rather have just two of our children hate me now instead of four."

"Christian, our children do not _hate_ you. Don't be ridiculous," I sigh.

"Are Phoebe and Hanson coming by Sunday for dinner?" he lobs at me.

" _Chris_ …" I start with a sigh before he cuts me off.

"That would be a _'no'_ ," Christian concludes. I roll my eyes at him and he narrows his at me.

"What about Ted and Diana?" he quizzes me again.

"Teddy needs time to think about the job," I remind him.

"That shouldn't stop him from having Sunday dinner with his family," Christian says, displeased.

"He knows how you are," I smirk.

He flutters his lashes at me. "How am I?"

"You're pushy," I say point blank.

"That's ridiculous," he scoffs.

"Seriously, Christian? You haven't been pushing our son to marry his girlfriend?"

"Nonsense. I simply _suggested_ it," he says with a sheepish grin. "She is a fantastic young lady. In the same way that you made me into a better man, Diana has the ability to be that for Ted."

Sometimes my husband only sees what he wants to see. If Christian actually saw what was right in front of him, he'd realize that Teddy and Diana look _nothing_ like us.

Christian is more concerned with his son fitting into his idea of a picture perfect life. It's as if he feels that he's already _paved the way_ – done all of the hard, painful work in life so that Teddy doesn't have to.

His stance: _Just follow this roadmap that I have set for you. I know what's best for you better than you do._

But there's something else that _I_ know. I know exactly how a _Grey Man_ loves: He loves with his _whole heart_. I recall the first and the last time I saw that _look of love_ in my Teddy's eyes, and it was all due to _one person_. And it's not the one he's with.

If I were granted a single wish today, it would be for my son to get his glow back.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Up next – Complications during Ana's surgery has the entire family on pins and needles. Then later, Ted's guilt leads him to do something that surprises even him._**

 ** _The next update will take some time, so please be patient. Thanks everyone! – ST2_**


	17. Chapter 17 - Carry On Wayward Son

**Chapter 17 – Carry On Wayward Son**

 _Wednesday, October 3, 2035_

 _Ted_

I hadn't stepped even one toe outside of my dad's office this past Monday morning before a global communication went out.

I could almost hear him saying: _"Andrea, the very second you see a hair on Ted's head exit my office, hit the 'send' button no matter what."_ He probably had that email all queued up and ready to go since last Friday when first he urged me to take the job.

* * *

From: Christian & Anastasia Grey  
Subject: Personnel Announcement  
Date: October 1, 2035 8:55  
To: All GEH Employees

The office of the CEO is very pleased to announce that Theodore (Ted) Grey is the newly appointed Director of 2040 Propel The Future.

Propel The Future, also known as PTF, is a groundbreaking GEH initiative that promises to impact the global marketplace in a major way in the next five years. With the entire industry relying on the wave of PTF, the GEH leadership deemed it necessary to create a team that is fully committed to the program's success.

At the head of PTF will be Ted Grey. Ted is currently transitioning from his previous role as Executive Manager of Mergers and Acquisitions. As a major contributor of the M&A team for the past three years, Ted has been instrumental in acquiring seventeen companies that are now thriving under the GEH portfolio.

Ted graduated summa cum laude at Stanford University with a degree in Economics. He also has renowned published works in the Stanford Graduate School Business Journal. His first composition led to him being awarded a spot in the prestigious active learning program for honors business students, allowing him an opportunity to intern for a semester at Amazon's corporate headquarters.

Please join us in congratulating our son Ted on his new promotion as Director.

Best regards,

Christian Grey  
Anastasia R. Grey  
Co-CEOs, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

* * *

Even though it's been two days since the big announcement, I find myself re-reading it from time to time. It's _so_ surreal.

I've already started to assemble my all-star team. I was able to get my hands on a HR expert, a numbers guru, a marketing mastermind, a master strategist, and an essential jack-of-all-trades badass.

Yes, my brand new team already rivals any other organization at Grey House. However, it would be the crème de la crème if I had the likes of Hanson and my sister. Then Diana would slide in for the win.

 _Hey, maybe next year when the smoke clears Dad will change his mind about me having Hanson and Pheebs on board._

On top of starting a new group from scratch as well as being pulled into a dozen brand new meetings, I have two more distractions.

The first being my old job. _So_ …my father was very quick to tell Marco that he didn't want me doing anything M&A related. Anyone else would've been expected to have _at least_ a two-week transitioning period between jobs. However it's rather obvious that the same rules don't apply for the son of the CEOs.

But being much more like my mother in the temperament department, I refuse to leave Marco high and dry. That man's done way too much for me and my career these past couple of years, so how could I _not_ help him stay afloat. So this week alone, I've been here in the office for thirty hours – and it's only Wednesday afternoon.

I will log in over 80 hours this week, _easily_ …and that's not including this coming Saturday or the time that I'll be spending working at home.

The other issue that's prohibiting me from being 110% focused on my new job is _not_ work related.

In fact, my diversion is blonde with blue eyes.

I'm not _technically_ supposed to be helping Sophie with her situation since she'd told me last Friday _not_ to. However, I can't stop myself from obsessing over her shitty situation. Hell…I haven't even taken Gerts off the case. He continues to keep me updated on all of his findings on the Glenns in Nevada.

And I don't give a shit what Sophie says, a lawyer working pro bono isn't going to turn over every rock and build the strongest case for her like he needs to. The folks going after her are millionaires. Eventually she's going to need my help to ensure that she and her mother gets to keep her kid.

Yeah, I know… _I know_. Diana's not going to like this in the slightest bit. My girlfriend could care less that my _ex-girlfriend_ is going through a very traumatic time right now.

Let's face it, any normal guy who gets his heart smashed into smithereens by their first love would rejoice in their fiery downfall. But _no_ …I can't bring myself to feel anything _but_ guilt over Sophie's misfortunes. I knew that Aiden wasn't any good for her and I should've protected her.

 _I owe it to myself and to Sophie to be there for her now._

With that said, there's something else deep within me going on that I don't fully comprehend. Why is it that I feel the need on some visceral level to get in deeper than I should with all of this?

Perhaps it's simply a warning – an internal alarm of sorts. Our bodies have this astute way of sensing danger. If this strange _buzz_ persists, perhaps I will begin to pull away from this whole drama entirely.

God knows that I don't need my folks or Diana privy to any of this.

 _Yeah…I really don't want to fuck up what I have with Diana.  
She's been really good to me during these past couple of years. _

Diana doesn't deserve this headache.

….

Not long after lunch hour, which I unfortunately had to skip, I sit in my temporary office on the north end of the 19th floor. I'll be here for the next two weeks until my permanent office located on the south end of this floor completes construction.

The office that I occupy today is generic and empty, unlike my former office on the 15th floor. My possessions such as my baseball memorabilia and the framed copy of the Stanford GBS Journal that features my first article are currently boxed up and sitting in the corner of the old office.

These days, my temporary office substitutes as a convenient private meeting space for employees that normally reside in cubicles. Ironically, this very office once belonged to my mother – who apparently wasn't in here for very long.

Just short of four months after taking _this_ office, Mom took a job at the largest Seattle Publisher at the time. I don't think she even worked there a month before she returned to GEH and set up shop on the 20th floor, where she still resides today.

Sometimes I wonder what made Mom want to come back here. It couldn't have just been that she missed my dad. They were always busy at work anyway, often attending separate meetings and not getting a chance to spend time together until they got home. Also, my mom is a book _fiend_ so her leaving publishing wasn't a decision that she came to lightly.

I just know that if I were to ever make up my mind and leave GEH, I would _never_ come back. But while I'm here, I might as well make my mark.

So with my PTF starting lineup already in full force, I need an assistant coach.

Some may say that the _#2_ is the support manager. Nope. For me, the executive assistant is the one who holds the playbook.

If it weren't for the strong support of the likes of Andrea and Lola, my parents would totally be lost. I appreciate the value that these ladies bring to the company. They are our unsung heroes. Therefore, who I hire to be the executive assistant for Propel the Future has to be extraordinary.

Shortly, I'm about to interview my third candidate. She actually came highly recommended by Lola, my mother's PA. I wasn't completely wowed by the first two. Hopefully this one is everything that Lola says she is.

Like clockwork, my intercom rings. It's the temporary admin.

"Mr. Grey?"

"Yes?"

"Marisol Ramirez is here to see you."

"Send her in please."

A few moments later, my door opens and I immediately stand and walk behind the desk.

Marisol Ramirez looks to be 5-feet and 5-inches tall if she weren't wearing those heels. She's donning a black skirt suit with a ruffled cream blouse underneath. Her hair is tan with highlights and pulled back into a bun. Attractive, she appears to be in her mid-30s. When she smiles and extends her right hand to shake mine, I catch a glimpse of a ring and matching band glistening on her left hand which grips a thin leather binder.

"Thanks for coming, Mrs. Ramirez. I'm Ted Grey," I say in introduction.

"Thank you for having me. This building is _insane_ ," she says in awe.

"First time here?"

"Yes," she smiles.

"Well, welcome. Have a seat," I say, motioning her over to the facing two white padded chairs nearby. After we sit, she unzips her binder and pulls out a sheet of paper.

"Do you have a copy of my resume on hand? If not, I have one here for you."

"No, that won't be necessary. I thought that we would have a more informal discussion, if you will. I'd like to get to know you outside of what's on that paper," I say with a calculating grin. Her eyes narrow in confusion.

"Oh…okay then." She slips the sheet back in her binder, zips it up, and places it off to the side.

"So tell me, how did you meet Lola Gibson?" I start. She chuckles.

"Lola and I worked together as temps over five years ago at an insurance company. Lola struck gold working for your mother. Now I'm basically here to try my luck. Lola says fantastic things about you," she beams.

"What has she told you?" I smile.

"That you march to the beat of your own drum. You earn your own keep according to her."

Her words cause me to wince.  
 _Lola said this about me?_

"I worked at a family-owned car dealership not long before going to the insurance company," she says. "I had to deal with the owner's kid on a daily basis. Frankly, he wasn't really worth a damn."

I burst out laughing.  
 _I love her frankness._

"Seriously, everyone else who worked there referred to that kid and others like him as having a _'PHD_ ' – _Papa Has Dealership_. We all knew that his PHD wouldn't be worth a damn if he ever left the confines of his father. He was lazy and always expected his Dad to cover his tail whenever he messed up."

 _Damn – is she serious?  
Do people like that actually exist? _

I really don't have patience for people that don't hold their own. My sisters and I work very hard in spite of who our parents are. We were raised to work hard for everything that we get. Nothing is ever owed to us. It's earned.

I am taken aback by what I just heard. More than anything, I'm impressed by Mrs. Ramirez's candor after just meeting her only a short time ago.

"So tell me a little bit about you?" I prompt.

"Well – I'm married with three dogs," she smiles.

"No children?" I say, surprised.

"No. Our pups are our children," she says proudly.

"I completely respect that," I smile back.

"No desire to have kids. You never have to worry about me ever going on maternity leave," she quips. I chuckle in response. "But I will be taking all of my required vacation time since my husband Manny and I love to travel," she adds.

"Really? Where do you like to go?" I say, intrigued.

"We have a Gulf Stream RV, so we load up the dogs and roam across the country. We love to go hiking at some of the most wonderful places," she says with pride.

"That's _amazing_. I've always wanted to do that…travel the land in an RV," I say in admiration.

"Do it. There's nothing like driving through the mountains and by the streams. And then there's the fall season in the Carolina Mountains. Words alone do it no justice. I absolutely can't _wait_ until our next road trip," she says wistfully.

"I bet," I say with envy.

"You know, I believe in embracing the simple things in life. I don't aim for anything shiny or extravagant. I'm not attracted to what the world may deem as the _'ideal life'_ – the life of a _jet setter_. I love my simple life with my simple _husband_ ," she giggles. I smile and nod at her statement in full understanding.

 _I really like this woman._

"Unlike many others, I'm not fooled by things that look great on the outside, but hold absolutely no substance underneath. I'm always looking for something deeper than what is on the surface. That's the kind of life I lead. That's the type of person I am."

My eyes grow wide. Her words prick at something somewhere deep inside. What she says absolutely strikes a nerve.

An hour later, Marisol Ramirez is my newest hire.

* * *

 _Tuesday, November 6, 2035_

It's been officially over a month since I've taken this job and so far, so good.

Already my team has made major headway in preaching the gospel of 2040 PTF. Just about every department in the organization has aligned their 2036 goals with the initiative. I have the full support that I need to set all gears in motion.

It helps to have a powerhouse office manager to keep me on my toes. When I first hired Marisol, she had the title of ' _personal assistant'_. We have since changed her title to _'Office Manager'._ It was a fair consolation since HR wouldn't accept my proposal to name her _'Force Commander'_.

There's absolutely nothing that Marisol isn't on top of. She keeps me honest and is a godsend when it comes to bouncing ideas off of. So I knew right away that she was more than just a secretary. Marisol Ramirez is my eyes and ears. I already trust her judgment more than I trust anyone else's on my team.

On the plus side, my workload has kept me distracted from getting in deeper with Sophie's situation than I already am. However, the downside to being extremely busy at work is that I haven't been able to spend time with Diana, my friends, _or_ my family. I've missed many Sunday dinners at my parents' place, much to my mother's chagrin.

So because she's leaving after Thursday for surgery and not returning to work until the New Year, Mom insisted that Diana and I do lunch with her and my dad this afternoon.

Boy, did she give me an earful this morning when she made her surprise visit to my office.

 _"Teddy, I know you have brand new responsibilities and a new team to boot, but it's a shame that we work in the same building and don't get to spend any time together. I can't even remember the last time you've been by the house. Topher really misses his big brother."_

Fuck, that's the thing that I dread the most about running the biggest program at GEH right now. Not only haven't I been able to have dinner with my family on Sundays, but I've also been neglecting _Monday Man Lunches_ with my baby bro.

Before she left my department this morning, Mom made sure that Marisol blocked off my calendar for lunch and not to allow anyone to schedule anything else during that time.

 _Yeah, yeah_ …I know – I need to be a better son and big brother.  
I also need to be a better boyfriend.

Diana and I haven't gone out on a Friday since I started PTF. In order to make it up to her, we stay in bed on Sunday mornings where I am forced to watch old episodes of _Gilmore Girls_. But full disclosure – I haven't _really_ been playing fair. I end up distracting her with sex and _Gilmore Girls_ subsequently ends up watching _us_.

Ten minutes before I'm set to go upstairs to meet in my father's office, there's a knock on the door. I know right away that it's my dad since my mom has already made an appearance. If it were anyone else, Marisol normally introduces them over the speaker.

"Come in," I call out.

My father opens the door.

"I was just on my way up to your office," I tell him.

"I was down here to see Ros, so I thought I'd come to you instead," he says as he walks around to the other side of my desk.

Not seeing him in the _seat of power_ is quite odd. Mom has sat in the very chair he's in more than once. However, this is the first time that my dad's even come in here. The current scenario just feels out of place.

The moment I stand to join him on his side, Dad holds his hand up to stop me.

"This is fine where we are," he assures me, so I sit back down. "Your mother recently informed me that she and I are having lunch today with you and Diana," he says with a smirk.

"Yeah, I couldn't get out of a meal with Mom this time," I reply with a chuckle, rubbing my forehead.

"Resistance is futile, son. Whatever your mother wants, she gets," he retorts. I smile and nod in agreement. "That goes for _all_ women. If you haven't already learned that by now, you most certainly will living with Diana," he adds.

My lips tighten and go flat. I wouldn't necessarily say that Diana has been getting everything that she wants out of me these days. I do however appreciate her patience as I lay the groundwork for my new department. As much as I can, I remind her that this will not remain the norm. It's simply a stepping-stone to a better future.

 _A better future…for_ _ **us**_ _?_

"Speaking of Diana," he starts.

 _Christ._ I know what comes next.

 _'When are you going to ask her to marry you, son?'_

"I'm thoroughly impressed with the team that you've assembled. However, I think you need another rock solid data analyst. Your data manager can't do it all alone. Diana would be perfect…"

 _Good grief._

"Dad," I sigh, cutting him off. "I already told you, that can't happen." He suddenly gives me a look as if I just beamed down from another planet.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's obvious even from my brief discussions with her that she wants to work on a high-profile project. There's nothing bigger than Propel the Future right now," he argues.

 _Wait...Diana's been meeting with my father?  
_ I quickly brush away the thought in order to stay on topic.

"You're not hearing me," I chuckle, masking my dire impatience.

"What am I not hearing?" he says, totally oblivious.

"I told you, I'm not pulling Diana on my team until I can have Hanson. And since that's out of the realm of possibility, I'm not going to undercut him by taking someone who works for him," I counter.

"Diana is your girlfriend, whom you live with. She has the advantage. You're _not_ sleeping with Larkin," he frowns.

 _Jesus, there's no way to talk to this man, I swear._

"No, but Phoebe is," I counter with humor.

" _Don't_ ," he shudders. "Please… _don't_ remind me." He closes his eyes in horror.

I snort at the ridiculousness of it all. He obviously doesn't mind me living and sleeping with _my_ girlfriend. Even after all of these years, he's still having a difficult time imagining any daughter of his getting laid by their longtime boyfriend.

I'll never understand how my father's mind works.

"You won't admit it, but I will. I see Diana joining our family in the very near future," Dad starts.

 _And there it is.  
Just like fucking clockwork._

"You need to help her get to where she needs be. You're going to need her since you'll be running this company long after your mother and I are gone."

 _Not this shit again._

"Dad, can we _please_ talk about PTF?" I say, exasperated.

"Fine, but this conversation is far from over," he says sternly.

"Oh, I know it isn't," I reply, dismayed.

"So, what do you have for me?" he prompts the official start of our meeting.

 _Thank God._

….

"Hey," I say, standing behind her back. Startled, Diana turns from number crunching at her computer and looks up at me.

"Oh," she beams. "I thought we were meeting downstairs in the lobby?"

"I just had a quick chat with Hanson. Since I was here, I thought we'd head down together," I say.

Promptly, she locks her computer screen and stands up to greet me. We're practically nose-to-nose, but she simply rubs on my bicep. I really want to kiss her right now – and _I know_ that she wants to kiss me, but that wouldn't be proper.

"I wish we were going home instead of lunch," I whisper silkily to her.

"Face it Grey, if your mom wasn't making you do this, you would _not_ be trying to go home with me," she says with a smirk.

I wince at her words. "Why do you say that?"

"Ted, you've been knee-deep in PTF. I barely even see you anymore," she reminds me as she quickly grabs her purse and coat.

" _I know_ , I know," I acquiesce. "But I promise, this won't be the case for long. I almost have a full team. My managers are interviewing to fill up the spots under them. Once everything's in full swing, I'll begin to work semi-human hours again," I grin.

"I'll hold you to that. But it's funny…not too long ago I was the one working crazy hours. Now it's you," she says before looping her arm in mine. I lead the way towards the elevators.

"Blame it all on PTF. It was first your headache, now it's mine," I smirk.

As we proceed, I gaze at the empty desk that once belonged to my sister. All while I've been building my new team, Phoebe has been going to school and starting anew at Grey Publishing. This is probably the longest I've gone without seeing my sister, not counting my time at Stanford.

 _I really miss seeing her around._

….

Diana and I enter Club Sahara together to meet my folks.

"Ted!"

I flinch at my name being called. Standing before us is the blond hostess that once flirted with my three-year-old little brother and me.

"Laura… _hi_ ," I kindly greet. I can almost feel Diana's eyes burning a hole into the side of my face.

"Your mother and father just got here. They're at your usual table," Laura says with all of her pearly whites on display. It didn't occur to me until just now that she's paid absolutely no attention to my girlfriend who's currently holding my hand.

"Thanks Laura, we'll head right over," I respond.

"Have a great lunch, Ted," she says in the sweetest voice. I nod and lead the way towards our table.

"What was that all about?" Diana whispers in my ear.

"What?" I say, squinting.

"She obviously has the hots for you. It was as if I was completely invisible," she says with amusement. I scoff in response, brushing off the notion.

 _She did give you her number, Grey._

"Hey, perfect timing. We just ordered side salads for all of us," my mother says as we approach.

"Great!" Diana sparks.

Both of my parents stand. They each hug Diana before my mom hugs me and kisses my cheek. I shake my dad's hand, which is odd since I just had a meeting with him not too long ago. Diana and I sit in the chairs opposite of my folks.

"Your father was just telling me how well things are going with PTF," Mom starts.

I nod. "Better than I could've ever imagined."

"That's a leader's dream. No hiccups so far. Stay the course and it'll only get better," my father throws in his admonition.

"The only downside is that I don't get to see much of him," Diana throws in with a playful smile as she leans into me.

My father gives me a look that says everything. With his eyes alone, he's telling me that I can rectify the situation by allowing my girlfriend to work for me. In response, I tighten my lips letting him know that this isn't the time or the place to rehash this.

"Ted, you don't need to work around the clock anymore. You have managers under you now," scolds my mother.

"I know, but they are busy setting up _their_ teams. Once everyone's in place, I'll be able to spend more time at home," I say to her before turning to look at Diana. The glint in her eye tells me that she'd rather see it happen first before she believes me.

Diana turns to look at my dad. "Mr. Grey, I can't thank you enough for offering to mentor me."

I gape at her.

 _What?!_

 _How did this all come about?  
Did Dad approach her?_

"You're welcome – it's my pleasure," he warmly responds.

I'm beginning to lose my appetite at the thought of my father working behind the scenes to get his wish by way of mentoring my girlfriend. I know he's going to start planting little bugs in her ear so that she can begin forcing the issue of joining PTF.

 _Fuck, I should've seen this coming._

I then look to my mother who appears to be as equally as stunned as I am. "I guess I wasn't the only one who didn't know," I quip. My mother frowns sideways at my dad before remembering herself. She clears her throat and takes a sip of water.

 _I know she's going to give my dad an earful in the car._

I turn to Diana who plays it coy. "I was going to tell you. It only just happened yesterday."

This is sounding worse and worse. She's known for what…over 24 hours and still hasn't said anything? I mean – this is kind of a big deal. The founder and CEO of GEH is going to be mentoring her. The same person is _also_ my father. You'd think she'd warn me first.

But _nah_.

"I haven't mentored a young professional in a long while. I think it's time," my father says to me with a straight face.

 _Motherfu…_

"Would you two like anything else to drink besides water?" the waiter interrupts. I try to regain my composure.

"No, thank you," I say after clearing my throat.

"Just water is fine," Diana echoes. Just then, a server standing behind the waiter already has the tray with our salads.

"I didn't know what type of dressing you wanted, so I ordered you what Ted likes," my mother says to Diana.

"Blue cheese is great," she beams with her reply.

 _Aww, my mommy remembered to order me my favorite dressing._

We each start on our salads.

As I chomp away, I can't erase from my mind that my father is now mentoring my girlfriend. I need to know who approached whom.

No – scratch that. I know exactly what happened. Diana saw my father in passing, they shoot the shit for a minute, and suddenly my father gets this _great idea_ after hearing how things have slowed down for her since PTF was taken away from her team. I guess my dad figures that he can kill two birds with one stone and force Diana to speed things up in all directions.

I don't know if I'm more amused than I am pissed off.

"So Mr. Grey I'm still fascinated by how you and Ana first met. With her being brand new and not knowing that you were the CEO."

Diana's words abruptly snap me out of my thoughts. My mother blinks and then smiles before turning to look at my dad, who mirrors her adoration.

"Did she actually tell you that story?" my father turns and says to Diana with a smirk.

"We had lunch together a while ago and she told me that you two met on an elevator," she replies.

My father face morphs into a shit-eating grin. "Did she happen to tell you what she said to me on that elevator?"

Mom immediately slaps him on his arm. "Don't you dare bring that up!" she warns, now blushing. He gives her a taunting look in return.

"I don't think _I_ even know this story," I say, teasing.

"Oh no," Mom says in horror.

"Spill!" Diana eggs on, laughing.

"Do you want to tell them what you said on that elevator, or should I?" Dad says, way too pleased to let the cat out of the bag. Mom vehemently shakes her head in disapproval.

"I said _nothing_ the first time we were on the elevator together, if you recall," she says to my father in refute.

My father tilts his head in contemplation. "Fair enough. The second time, then."

At this point, I can tell that my mother wants to end this conversation now.

" _Aww_ , come on!" I heckle.

"This is going to be good," Diana raves, pushing her salad aside.

"Fine," she relents. "I'd just started working there _that day_. I went to lunch with coworkers who proceed to tell me how arrogant the people were who worked above the 17th floor."

" _'Assholes'_ was the exact term used," my father proudly interjects. My mother shakes her head in embarrassment.

I chuckle recalling stories that I've heard from some of the old-timers at GEH. These were the _pre-ESI_ days. I'll have to fill Diana in later for context.

She continues. "Then they told me that if anyone takes a trip up to the 20th floor, it's either because they work there or they are being fired. There was no in-between."

I laugh even louder and my father is struggling to keep his signature composure. Diana smirks in amusement at the two of us before focusing back on my mother.

"So I recalled the young guy in the suit who I shared an elevator with that morning. I was going to the 8th floor, and he was heading up to the 20th. So after lunch, he and I so happen to share the same elevator…again. Now granted, I knew that a ' _Christian Grey'_ owned the company, but I had no idea what he looked like. I just assumed that he was some old man with liver spots."

Even my mother's trying not to laugh now as she reminisces. Diana explodes into laughter and my father bows his head. His body is jerking, so I know he's cracking up.

"You mean _exactly_ how he looks now?" I barb.

Yeah, I'm _so_ full of shit. My father does not look his age whatsoever. To this day, he still looks like a billion bucks. However, I can't help but take the low-hanging fruit and make fun of him.

My father stops laughing immediately. " _Hey_ …" he murmurs, narrowing his eyes at me. Diana gasps and elbows me in my side.

" _Oww_ ," I groan.

Mom ignores us and continues. "So I said to him – 'I see that you're going up to the 20th floor for the second time today. I was told that only assholes go up pass the 17th floor, and those who are special or who are about to get fired go up to the 20th. You must be _quite_ special."

Diana and I completely lose it. When my eyes reopen somewhat, I can see that there are others in the club gaping strangely at us.

Also laughing, my father holds out his hand to settle all of us down. I'm sure if he knew that we were going to be _this_ rowdy over lunch, we'd be dining in the _owner's private suite_ instead.

As Diana and I try our damnedest to settle down from hearing such an epic story, my father turns to my mother and thumbs away a splattering of salad dressing that I hadn't even notice on the corner of her mouth.

"She's the only person who ever worked for my company to pretty much call me an asshole to my face and live to tell about it. I absolutely had to marry her," he says to her lovingly. My mother snorts before my father plants a kiss sweetly on her lips.

Now if Phoebe were here, she would definitely cringe. But seeing my parents still madly in love with each other after all these years does nothing but warm my heart. They continue to stare at one another as if there was no one else in the room _but_ them.

"I just love what you two have," Diana gushes. "I _really_ hope that I get a chance to work with Teddy one of these days and be a team just like the two of you."

 _Pin drop._

Both of my parents turn from each other and look at us. I honestly have no idea how to respond to that. I feel like I could squirm in my chair. My mother beams in on Diana, while my father gives me that same look he's given me each time I tell him that I can't hire my girlfriend.

 _Can we change the subject here?  
Please?_

"Teddy is the hardest worker I know," Diana continues. "He obviously learned that from the two of you. When I look at you, I kind of see _us_ – or at least what I hope what we'll become. You are an inspiration."

 _Oh, Diana._

What in the world am I going to do with her?

 _Diana._

 _Diana._

 _"I envision Diana joining our family in the near future."_

My father's words spoken earlier at our meeting circle back.

 _Diana.  
Di…  
Ana._

I glance at her once more before shifting to my mother. She's back to exchanging flirty glances with my dad. Then a thought suddenly enters my mind.

 _Ana Grey is everything that a wife and mother should be._

I turn once again and look to Diana who's already staring at me.  
She smiles. I smile.

 _She is so fucking gorgeous._

Then another thought suddenly crosses my mind.

 _Am I staring my future in the face?  
Am I just delaying the inevitable? _

_Hell…should I buy her a ring now?_

* * *

 _Ana_

 _You've got to be kidding me.  
I mean…what is this girl's game?_

I'm still not getting the _warm-fuzzies_ from Diana. What she just said threw me for a complete loop. If it weren't for Christian being so darn cute right now, my outrage over Diana's problematic monologue regarding her and our son mimicking _our lives_ would've been more apparent.

Not to mention, I'm going to give Mr. Grey an earful in the car on the way back to work for not telling me about his newfound _personal mentorship program_ with our son's girlfriend. This _definitely_ came out of left field.

I mean, who's idea was it anyway? I wouldn't put it past either of them. It's sickening how they are trying to manipulate Teddy.

 _I know very damn well what's going on here._

My deepest hope is that Teddy will stand his ground. He valiantly refused to hire Diana for his team since she works for Hanson. And if he can't have Hanson, he doesn't feel that it's right that Diana get a shot, being that she was a member of his team when that mishap with Germany occurred.

And if Teddy doesn't think he's ready to get married, then he shouldn't have to. Christian just needs to leave these two kids alone and let them live. He needs to stop freaking out about who's going to be prepared to take over the company after he and I leave. We have _plenty_ of time before any changing of the guard needs to happen.

Yes, I'm a little annoyed right now. But as strange is it sounds, I'm happy to be distracted with something else other than the dread of my impending surgery.

 _Three more days._

I can tell with each passing day that Christian is worried about it, too. That's why I do my best not to display my reservations at home. I either keep my fears to myself, or I share them with Kate. Kate has been my rock as of late, showering me with loads of reassurance.

 _"Just remember: It'll be ninety minutes or less. Then Taylor will shuttle your happy ass back home so you can dive into a tub of Ben & Jerry's.  
Steele-Grey, you have so many good things to look forward to after this surgery."_

I almost laugh to myself thinking back on Kate's words from our talk over the phone last night. I was also able to reach out to Mia to tell her that my surgery was fast approaching. I'm very much looking forward to seeing her, Clark and the kids on Christmas at the in-laws.

Mia did inform me that Lily's been trying to make amends with Sloan. I don't know how that's coming along, but I do know that Lily's been lying low since quitting that wretched reality show a while back. Unfortunately, we've traded one reality star with the last name _'Grey'_ for two more.

 _'The Teens of Mercer Island'_ begins filming at our house in January.

 _God help us all._

* * *

 _Friday, November 9, 2035_

I didn't sleep well at all. And apparently, neither did Christian.

For what felt like two hours, I lay in bed with my eyes wide-open, staring into darkness. I'm sure Christian just assumed that I was sleeping when he crept carefully out of our bedroom. Maybe he worked in his study, or perhaps he simply played a soft tune on his piano.

Now I'm dressed in sweats, a t-shirt and a hoodie. I'm about to be cut open, so I don't feel the need to look cute for the occasion. I find Christian in the kitchen at the breakfast bar with his coffee and tablet. It is a few hours still before the twins are set to wake up for school.

He walks up to me and kisses me on the crown of my head.  
"Good morning, Bunny."

"Mornin'."

His coffee smells divine.  
I'd die for just a sip.

"Did you eat?" I ask.

"I had toast."

"That's it? You want me to make you something? I know we're up sometime before Gail..."

"Baby, I'm fine. I'll have Taylor grab me something while you're in surgery. I didn't want to eat much knowing that you had to fast."

I could swoon right now. My dear, sweet husband wanted to be in the trenches with me today. I wrap my arms around his waist and lean my head into his chest. He kisses my hair once more.

"Ninety minutes _or_ less," I say in a singsong voice. Kate's mantra has been on repeat in my brain for the past three days. The second that fear tries to creep in, I simply replay those words.

"Ninety minutes or less," Christian murmurs under his breath. He plants a soft kiss on my lips. I can taste the dark Columbian roast on his lips. My eyelids clamp down in angst.

Fifteen minutes later, we are in the back seat holding hands while Taylor chauffeurs us to the hospital. I can tell by the firmness of his grasp that my husband is getting increasingly nervous the closer we get to our destination.

"You know, we've made this trip at least four other times," I smile sweetly. A trace of a smirk appears on his gorgeous, tired, and worrisome face.

"Yeah, but this is different. This time you won't be bringing home any babies," he says, stating the obvious.

"True – but the end result of this visit will hopefully be a more comfortable, less hormonal life for me," I quip.

He pulls me into him and rubs my exposed arm before kissing my forehead.

"Now Mrs. Grey, there are certain hormones that I insist must remain after the surgery. You know…the _good_ kind. The ones that make you insatiable," he says with narrow, teasing eyes. I playfully slap his lap.

"Mr. Grey, it's almost six in the morning and way too early for such talk," I tease right back.

"Indeed, it's _never_ too early or late for that matter for _such talk_. You should know that better than anyone after nearly 25 years of being together."

He's _so right_. Sex has never been off limits with us. And even at the ages of 52 and 46, I don't ever see things slowing down between us. My husband is sexier than ever.

Some say that the sexual prime for a man is in his 20's. This isn't the case with Christian. No matter what milestone he reaches – thirties, forties… _fifties_ – sex with him continues to reach the next level.

No, I will _never_ be tired of getting laid by Christian Grey.

That man absolutely worships and adores my body – cesarean section scars and all. And he always goes out of his way to make me feel beautiful, sexy, and loved. So this hysterectomy will be no different. The only challenge will be the six-week required wait post-surgery.

 _"We'll just have to be creative, Bunny."_

He spoke those very words to me last night in bed. I smile to myself at the thought. He's even recited it after the birth of each of our children. And yes, Christian and I have always been creative in pleasing one another until it was safe to have sex again.

….

The inpatient process is extremely long and tedious.

There's the paperwork, followed by the waiting. There's the leading back to the back area where you are assigned a small room. You then change into a cheap, thin hospital gown that exposes your _entire_ rear-end if you're not careful.

Christian is with me in the tiny room as I lay on the gurney. A female nurse is about to work an IV into my right arm. I will _never_ fancy this part of the hospital experience. Earlier, the anesthesiologist made an appearance and told us what to expect during surgery.

 _Ninety minutes or less.  
I'll be home way before dinner._

Five minutes later, two stocky men in scrubs arrive.

 _This is it._

Christian immediately stands from the chair and grips my hand. I close my eyes, fearing that the nurse and the two men with her may have to put up a fight with my overzealous husband. But after two decades of being with this man, I've definitely learned how to soothe the savage beast.

"Ninety minutes _or_ less," I remind him. "I can't _wait_ to get back home. I'm going to want Gail to make me a fat juicy steak tonight," I say with a childlike grin.

"You can have whatever you want, baby. Just come back to me quickly and safely. I'll be here waiting," he replies with urgency in his gray eyes.

"I highly doubt that you'll get to eat that steak tonight," the nurse firmly interjects. Christian ignores her and begins smiling at me, assuring me that I will very damn well have whatever it is that I want, just as long as I return to him.

 _Honestly, I can eat a whole damn cow right now since I had to fast before this surgery._

After we exchange _'I love yous'_ , I am soon wheeled away. I look back and my sweet, sweet husband waving despairingly at me. But it's his trace, loving smile that gives me so much hope and comfort.

 _Ninety minutes or less._

When we reach the very bright and almost blinding operating room, the two men carefully lift and place me on the operating bed. Someone else off to the side clips a new bag to my IV. The anesthesiologist, who I met earlier, tells me to take several deep breaths.

After just two breaths, everything suddenly fades away.

* * *

 _Ted_

" _What?_ " I gasp. The air is sucked right out of me.

"She's lost a lot of blood," he says, barely audible.

 _I've never in my life heard my father sound so helpless._

I'm just realizing that I am no longer sitting behind my desk. I'm now standing in my office, completely dumbstruck.

 _It was supposed to be a quick outpatient procedure.  
She was supposed to be on her way home right now. _

_What went wrong?_

" _Wha_ …what's going on? Is she going to be okay?" I can feel myself shaking as the words struggle out of me.

 _No…not Anastasia Grey.  
Not __**my**_ _mother.  
This can't be real._

"Nobody knows," he answers. He's very succinct, but I can tell that he's going out of his ever-loving mind right now.

My father is a fixer.  
This is something that he can't fix.

I walk up to the computer at my desk and begin to shut down all of my programs.

"I'm on my way right now. Does Phoebe know?"

"No, she had class this morning."

"I'll send her a text to call me as soon as she's done."

"Good…and I'll call your grandparents and Kate," he says soberly.

"Okay – I'll be there soon," I say as I throw my laptop into my backpack.

"Drive carefully," he warns.

"I will."

Dad hangs up. As I sling my bag over my shoulder, I suddenly have a thought.

 _Shit…Diana._

I decide to stop by her desk on my way out. If she's not there, I'll leave a note. I look over to my right to see Marisol working away at her desk.

"Marisol, I need to leave for an emergency. I doubt that I'll be back today, so please cancel all of my meetings," I say in a huff. Her face falls.

"Is everything okay?" she says, alarmed.

"I don't know, but I promise I'll call and fill you in shortly."

"Okay – let me know if you need absolutely anything at all."

"I will, thanks," I say as I hurry into the elevator.

The elevator stops on the 10th floor and I take long strides down the corridor until I reach Diana's cubical.

 _Thank God – she's there._

"Hey…"

She quickly turns to see me with my coat and backpack. She's taken aback.

"You're leaving? What's…?"

"It's my mom. I have to go to the hospital," I say quietly, trying my best not to break down. Diana immediately springs up to her feet.

"Oh my God…what happened?" she says with horror in her eyes.

"I don't know…she lost a lot of blood. That's all my dad knows right now."

Quickly, Diana turns and grabs her purse and coat. "I'm going too."

"What? _No_ …stay. I promise, I'll fill you in the second I know anything."

"I will be too out of my mind to focus on work. I want to be there for you," she pleads.

"I know you do, sweetheart. _I know_ ," I say, grazing my hand across her soft cheek. "But my dad and grandparents will be there. All's we're going to be doing is sitting there and waiting anyway. You'll be much more productive here instead of mulling at the hospital going crazy with us."

"I'm going to go crazy _here_. Don't argue…I'm going with you. Let me tell Hanson first," she says with resolve.

….

The surgeon walks out of the private family waiting area, leaving my father, my sister, Grandpa Grey, Diana and me behind to pick up all of the pieces that he just lobbed at us.

 _"…Severe blood loss and infection."_

His words continue to ring in my head over and over again as Diana wraps her arms tightly around me.

 _"…Severe blood loss and infection."_

 _"…Unconscious."_

Grandma Grey doesn't cut the surgeon any slack. As he goes, she is right on his tail. And although my grandmother has retired from this very hospital many years ago, she is still highly regarded and respected in these halls. If she wanted to sit in my mother's surgery while it was in progress, she could have. In fact, she highly regrets not doing so.

 _"It was a standard procedure! How could it go so wrong?" she cried out earlier._

If everything went as planned, my mother would've been home and in bed hours ago. But it is now approaching 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Sawyer is picking up the twins as we speak. Brie and Beth have no clue whatsoever that our mother won't be home for dinner tonight.

The very thought is overwhelming.

The doctors can't even tell us when my mother is going to wake up. They don't even know how bad the infection is. They don't know what effects, current or long term that the blood loss during the surgery will have on her.

We know _nothing_.  
Notta.

I heard my father uttering something under his breath over and over again about _'ninety minutes'_. It was unsettling. Then when the doctor tried to segue into his _'prepare for the worse'_ spiel, my grandmother stopped him immediately.

 _"I really regret what I am about to say, but there is a chance that she might not…"_

 _"I've overseen thousands upon thousands of these operations for over forty years! This is 2035! This shouldn't have happened in such a standard procedure!" my grandmother snapped._

My chest caves recalling the doctor's expression. I know for a fact that he was getting ready to tell us to expect her to die. And I know that I'm not far off because my sister Phoebe is now balling her eyes out in the corner of the lobby. My father rushes over to calm her down.

As Diana buries her face into my chest, Grandpa Grey places his hand on my shoulder.

"No matter what, everything is going to be fine. We'll all see to it as a family," he says softly to me.

 _'No matter what?'  
'As a family?'_

Suddenly all of the talks that my father had with me over the years flood into my thoughts: All of the ' _pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstrap'_ lectures and the _'the-family-is-counting-on-you'_ sermons.

This is one of those moments that he always warned me would come.

 _I need to suck up my pride, step in, and help my father._

Dad can't be worried about GEH while he tends to my mother. It's not just about me anymore. I look over at my crying sister with our crestfallen father who's attempting to comfort her. I think about my baby brother. My heart drops down into the pit of my gut. I feel convicted.

I can't keep focusing on leaving the covering of my family. It's no longer about _my five-year plan_. The _Ted Inc._ vision can no longer be a priority. It's no longer about _me and my dreams_.

 _I'm a Grey, dammit._

The Grey name is the biggest name in this godforsaken city.  
We're one of the most influential families in the country. The _world_ , even.

 _We._

 _Are._

 _One._

The entire family is counting on me now.

* * *

 _Wednesday, November 14, 2035_

It's almost six o'clock. I have been working like crazy these past four days. Not only have I been up to my neck with PTF shit, but I've also been filling in for my parents.

Fortunately, my mother is on the mend. She's awake now and the infection appears to be subsiding. Unfortunately, we have no idea when she'll be able to leave the hospital. Dad refuses to leave her side, so Grandma Grace has been staying over at the house with Topher and the twins.

I feel so distant from all that's going on at Northwest Hospital. I'm here at Grey House trying to keep a multi-billion dollar global operation running while my family remains in crisis. It's such an odd place to be.

As I sit behind my desk making corrections to my data guru's presentation, Marisol peaks her head in the door.

"Hey," I say, pleasantly surprised.

"How's it going?" she asks as she comes around the door and enters.

"It's… _going_ ," I chuckle ironically.

"How's your mother?" she asks – now leaning against my desk.

"Better. So they tell me," I add.

She winces. "When was the last time you were up there?"

"Friday."

"Ted…that's the day she went in. You haven't been back to see her?" she asks, apparently taken aback.

"My father wanted me to take care of things here."

"Which you have. But still, you need to see your mom. Make sure you go and see her today, okay?"

Immediately, I begin to feel guilty. My father and sisters have been calling me with updates, so I figured that I was fine picking up the slack at GEH.

But hell…I almost lost my Mom. I should be there in person to tell her how much I am grateful that she didn't leave us.

"I will. I promise," I vow, smiling at my _force commander_.

"Good," she beams. "By the way, Diana has been up here to see you…quite a few times actually this week, while you were tied up in meetings. I don't know if she's told you so."

I blink in surprise. "No, she hasn't said anything," I respond. I see her when I get home late at night and she hasn't mentioned needing me for anything during the day. I mean, each time she calls or texts, I'm on it. So I wonder why she never mentioned coming up here.

"She's rather difficult to read," she adds, carrying a bit of skepticism in her expression.

"I thought that was just _all women_ ," I chuckle. I immediately stop laughing because Marisol doesn't appear to find it humorous.

 _I hope I didn't just cross the line._

"Yeah, but I'm a good reader of people. Miss Diana – I _can't_ read," she says.

 _Does she not approve of Diana?_

I shake away the thought.

….

It's just after 7:30 when I arrive at the hospital. I told Diana that I would pay my mother a quick visit before going home. Diana herself was able to stop in and see her earlier.

As I walk past the small lobby on the way to my mom's room, I see Phoebe sitting alone in the corner. She appears to be doing homework.

"Pheeb," I call out. She looks up and immediately places her work aside to stand for a hug.

" _Hey_ ," she exhales, relieved to see me.

"How is she doing?" I ask.

"Better. They told us to step out of the room so that they could check her vitals and all that stuff. Of course Dad told them to go to hell. He's still in there," she smirks.

I laugh. "Not surprised."

"Aunt Kate and Uncle Elliot just left. Grandma Carla is flying up in the morning."

"Oh – _good_."

"Hanson says that you've been kicking ass all week at Grey House," she says with a trace of pride.

"I'm trying. I'm being pulled in so many directions right now," I sigh.

"I bet. Wish I could be there to help," she speaks sincerely.

"So do I," I grin. I honestly miss this kid.

"I'll be back. After graduation," she reveals.

Her declaration takes me by surprise. "So are things not going well at Grey Publishing?"

"No, it's going great actually. GP is a well-oiled machine. I just miss the challenge of the workload at Grey House. I miss randomly stopping by your office just to chat. I miss seeing mom and dad. I _loved_ working with Hanson. We made a great team. I miss the Nutty Buddy's at the café."

I laugh as she continues. "I miss _everything_. _Well_ …everything but that entire Stuttgart fiasco," she ironically chuckles.

"That was an anomaly. Between you and me, I'm still working on figuring out what went wrong back then. I personally don't think that you and Larkin had anything to do with that," I tell her in confidence.

"Hell, you and me both. Hanson's still clueless about how that error got there in the first place. And I _know_ that I didn't mean to send that draft to Ingrid. I meant to send her the standard weekly report," she says earnestly.

"I know. We'll figure this out."

"But all that seems so distant right now. Mom's been in the forefront," she says soberly. I nod in agreement.

"The twins have been a wreck. Topher keeps asking if Mommy's gonna be alright," she stutters, choking back tears. I hook an arm around my sister and pull her close.

"Sis, I honestly don't know how you do it. With damn near a full time job, you still attend accelerated classes while maintaining a healthy relationship with your live-in boyfriend. Now this stuff with Mom…"

"Teddy, I literally feel like I'm going to fall apart," her voice cracks. She's fighting to hold back tears. I sink.

 _Me and my big mouth._

"Mom has to pull through _or_ …or I don't think I can do it anymore," she stutters.

 _What in the world is she saying?_

I squeeze her tight. "She's going to be fine. She's getting progressively better…not _worse_. But if it gets to be too overwhelming, you can always put GP on hold for a while."

"If anything, I'll leave school. I've got to keep working. It's been the best distraction for me," she declares.

"Pheeb, don't be silly. Mom would lose her shit if she knew that you were even _considering_ dropping out of college. You're almost done. Just hang in there."

….

I enter my mother's hospital room. It's nothing like I would've imagined it to be. It's more of an upscale hotel suite than anything.

 _I guess it doesn't hurt when your family's the biggest donor._

There's a huge ass 64" television off to the side. Something tells me that the hospital didn't provide that. And the bed looks like a top-of-the-line king-sized _Sleep Number_ bed.

 _Courtesy of Christian Grey._

"Teddy," she calls to me in her familiar cheery voice.

 _What a sight for sore eyes._

My heart flutters seeing her there as she's sitting up with a book propped up in her lap. She looks fucking fantastic. You couldn't tell me that she was nearly knocking on death's door just a few days ago. It's just my mom in bed, reading a book and looking fabulous.

I walk up to her and kneel down to hug her. Carefully hug her.

"Be careful."

My dad's voice startles me. I didn't even notice him in the room.

"They just said that I can go home tomorrow," my mother beams.

" _That's_ …that's awesome," I gasp.

"She's still heavily medicated," my father interjects as he takes a seat right beside the bed.

"How are you feeling?" I ask her.

"Over-medicated," she chuckles. I laugh.

"You look great," I rave.

"You're too kind, Teddy," she waves me off.

"I'm serious," I insist.

"He's right, you know," echoes Dad, smiling.

"Is Phoebe still here?" she asks me.

I nod. "She's in the lobby finishing up her homework."

"Christian…can you give me a minute with our son?"

My eyes grow wide in surprise.

 _Whoa, she's kicking Dad out._

My father looks as if he wants to argue with her.

" _Please_ ," she pleads quietly. "Just ten minutes. Why don't you check on our daughter," she beams.

" _Oh_ , alright. Ten minutes," he says firmly.

He stands and kisses her sweetly on her forehead. He then looks over to me and his lips flatten in a sad attempt to smile. I lower down my head to keep from laughing. Finally, he leaves the room.

"Sit," she whispers, pointing to the chair that Dad was just in.

"So what's been going on while I've been away?" she smiles.

 _Is that it?  
That's all she wants to talk about?  
She could've asked this while Dad was still in the room._

"Well, we finally got the first wave of PTF through stage one. Then I sat in for you and Dad at the 2036 budget planning meetings…"

"I don't want to talk about work," she says resolutely. "I want to know about what's going on with _you_."

I'm thrown off by what she's asking me. I think long and hard because all that I've endured since she's been in here is work, work, and work. _Oh_ …and shitty thoughts about how sucky my life would be if this woman sitting before me was no longer in it.

I begin to feel a prick in my chest. I close my eyes tightly, trying to fight back the feeling.

"Teddy?"

I feel her hand touching mine on the armrest of my chair. I lift up my hand with hers until they're both at her side. I don't want her stressing herself.

"I'm just so glad that I still have you here," I say in a whisper.  
A tear finally escapes the corner of my eye.

"Honey…I'm not going anywhere," she says with promise.

….

"Dad?"

I step inside of the lobby and he looks up. Phoebe's no longer here.

"Where did Phoebe go?" I ask.

"Home. She'll be at the house tomorrow when we take your mother home. By the way, that was only eight minutes," he smirks.

I laugh. "I know. She looked like she was starting to get tired, so I told her to rest."

"Good."

"Diana and I will stop by this weekend," I assure him.

"Your mother and I look forward to seeing you both," he smiles.

" _I_ …I have a favor to ask you," I suddenly spit out.

 _You've opened up Pandora's Box now, Grey.  
It's best to commit._

My father's interest is peeked.  
 _He's all-ears now._

Hell, I can't believe that I'm actually doing this.  
But it's time for me to finally man up.  
It's _been_ time.

Unfortunately it took my mother nearly dying for me to realize what's most important.

 _Family._

* * *

 ** _A/N: Faithful readers, I'm so sorry for the long delay. Work and personal travel over the past two months was the main culprit. But I also think it was important to let some time pass in order to be able to write such a heartfelt chapter after losing my own mom this year. Even though Ana will be fine, it's still difficult as a writer to channel what the family may be going through in a time like this._**

 ** _Next up – Ana's having a hard time getting some peace and quiet when her family all clamor over her at home. Also, a huge story in the Sunday news threatens to send her back into the hospital._** **:)**

 ** _Thank you so much for reading! – ST2_**


	18. Chapter 18 - You Better Think

**Chapter 18 – You Better Think**

 _Thursday, November 15, 2035_

 _Ana_

I'm home. Finally.

It's four o'clock in the afternoon and I'm in bed in my PJs. I doze off after enjoying a bowl of Mrs. Taylor's scrumptious tomato bisque.

"Mommy! Mommy!" a tiny voice chants, startling me out of what feels like a _briefer than brief_ five-minute snooze.

"Topher, sweetie," I smile lazily once my eyes reach his adorable face.

I'd seen him only an hour ago and littered his cheeks with tons kisses to make up for our time apart. It was the longest that I've been separated from my youngest since his birth. He obviously felt the loss, as did I. Now he doesn't want to let me out of his sight.

He reminds me of someone else.

"Topher, you must let Mommy rest," Christian speaks from the other side of the room. He sits in his recliner with his computer on his lap.

"I'll be good – I promise. I wanna stay here with Mommy," he says to his father as he struggles to climb up on the gargantuan bed. His plea most certainly warms my heart. I've missed him just as much as he missed me – if not more.

"He's fine. Let him hang with me for a few," I say to my husband.

"Ana, you need to rest," he orders. I find it ironic that he refuses to leave my side, but he won't allow Topher do the same.

As soon as Topher is at my side, he lifts the sheet and duvet to see the rest of me.

"Did the doctor cut you? I want to see…"

"Topher!" Christian barks. He's about to place his laptop aside and yank our curious three-year-old out of bed.

"It's okay," I say with a lifted hand, placating him.

I lift up my gown and show my little boy my bandage.

"Does it hurt," he pouts as he pokes at it anyway.

"Topher! Don't touch!" Christian snaps, now rising up from his chair.

"Christian, _please_. It's fine. Settle down," I say as calm as I can. Against his will, he goes back to his corner and sits. He doesn't take his eye off of us.

 _My crazy insane Fifty._

"It's getting better. It's a very small scar that heals really fast. A long time ago, that scar would've been way bigger," I explain to my doe-eyed little angel.

"I wanna see," he whines. I don't even bother to look at Christian this time.

"You will soon, I promise. But right now it has to stay covered up so it doesn't get infected," I explain tenderly.

Out of nowhere, the little dove wraps his arms around my neck to hug me. I could just melt right there.

Ten minutes go by. My youngest and I are now snuggling in bed streaming episodes of _Planet: Dragon_. It's Topher's favorite animated show. Christian remains, quietly working away.

Suddenly, the door swings wide open and the twins both pile up on the bed.

"Mommy! Mommy!" they echo. I almost forget that they are seventeen. It's as if they're Topher's age all over again.

From his chair, Christian looks slightly irritated. I can hear him mumbling something about not giving me a chance to rest. Paying him no mind, I hug and kiss each of my girls in turn.

"Ooh… _Planet: Dragon_ ," Beth gasps in excitement as she scoots on up by Topher. Brie is sitting up at my other side.

"Did you hear what I said? Your mother needs to rest. Aren't you two supposed to be working at the mall today or something? Isn't there homework or band practice of some kind going on?" Christian says, exasperated.

"Dad, we quit our jobs at Neiman's last week," Beth says matter-of-factly, not taking her eyes away from the television.

"You did _what_?" Christian says, displeased. The news also takes me by surprise.

"We need to take care of Mom. She comes first," Brie taps in.

Christian is flabbergasted to say the least. "You don't just quit your jobs like that."

"It's just a silly mall job. We'll be making real money soon with the show," Brie says as if it's an open and shut case. This doesn't sway her father one bit.

"Why are you in here working anyway? You have an office," Beth says as if the idea suddenly occurred to her.

"Yeah, go work in your study. We're here taking care of Mom," Brie adds. She is now fluffing my pillows, ensuring that I am most comfortable. I hold back my laugher.

To my surprise, Christian stands and begins to gather up his things.

"I'll be in my study. You can stay for 30 minutes, then you need to let your mother rest," he orders.

" _Yeah_ , yeah…" Brie says, waving him off like a pesky little fly.

"Don't worry, Dad – we'll make sure that Mom gets the rest she needs," Beth speaks more kindly than her sister. He doesn't appear to be convinced as he strolls out of our room with an armful of his belongings. Brie snuggles into the covers next to me.

"Mom, we did a lot of thinking when you were in the hospital. I know that we haven't been the easiest to deal with," she starts. I narrow my eyes at her.

"We thought we were going to lose you," Beth adds from the other side.

"We couldn't bear the thought of that," the other twin volleys.

These two are quite the team. They even speak in turn, finishing each other's sentences. I'll never get over how adorable that is.

"We promise that we won't be little hellions anymore. We'll do better. We will never take you for granted," Brie pleads as she wraps her arms around me. I then begin to feel Beth's embrace as well.

Their words and gesture touch my heart in the deepest way. But somewhere inside of me, I know that they can't help _but_ to be _little hellions_. They may mean well when they say that they will try to be more tolerable, however their true teenage girl nature will always prevail. I know; I was once one myself.

" _Ouch_ – get off me!" Topher snaps at Beth who's apparently squishing him at the moment.

….

I wake up from a sound nap. It's already dark out based on the dimness of the room. The television is on, but the sound is barely audible. Brie and Beth are no longer in bed with me.

"Mommy? You up?"

 _However_ , Mr. Topher Grey remains.

"Hey sweetie. Thank you for letting Mommy take a quick nap," I murmur lazily.

"Yeah – Mommy was _so_ sleepy," he says in understanding. I smile and nod in agreement while ruffling up his thick head of hair. He normally doesn't like it when I do that, but he allows it just this once.

"Was Phoebe able to take you to swim class last Saturday while I was away?" I ask.

"No – I didn't go. We were all too sad about Mommy," he says cheerlessly as his eyes glance over at the TV for just a second. He then shifts back over to me. "I bet Roman was looking for me, but he couldn't find me," he adds.

Aww, he's concerned about his little friend.  
 _The friend whose name he still can't pronounce._  
I practically swoon at all of the adorable-ness just oozing in my direction.

"Well, I'll make sure that someone takes you to swim class this Saturday so you can play with your friend," I vow.

"Can you take me?" he says with the sweetest little puppy dog face.

"Topher honey, I would love that more than anything in the world. But unfortunately the doctors say that I need to get better first," I break it to him gently.

"When will you be better? _These many_ days?" he says, spreading out five adorable little fingers in the air.

"Sweetie pie, I honestly don't know. I hope it's real soon. But until then, I will make sure that you get to go to swim class. And the moment I am well enough, it'll be just you and me again. I promise."

* * *

 _Saturday, November 17, 2035_

 _Ted_

I am out of my mind.

You know that feeling when you know that something major is about to happen shortly and your nerves are jumping all over the place? Then by the time the moment of truth arrives, you're on autopilot and then you say to yourself: _Fuck it. It's now or never._

That's how I used to be back in middle school when I absolutely despised speaking in public. I'd feel like vomiting even days leading up to it. Then morning of, I would debate on if I should play sick and stay home. But the second I stepped inside of that building, I'd somehow convince myself that no matter what happened during that speech, I would be okay. I would live to see another day and no one would remember the time when I stumbled over my words – so why should I care.

So from the second Diana and I stepped into the Seattle Art Museum arm-in-arm, I was desperately searching for that _'Fuck it'_ moment. It never came.

"Teddy – are you okay?" Diana says with concern etched across her beautiful face. She's wearing the hell out of that fitted black dress which hugs every single one of her luscious curves. And although the sleeves touch down to her wrists, the dress is completely backless. Even her long dark hair doesn't obstruct the view of her perfect bare skin since it is wrapped into a tidy bun.

 _Good lord._ If I weren't spazzing out right now, I'd be horny as hell.

"Yeah…I'm good," I exhale, readjusting my tie for the umpteenth time. She narrows her eyes at me in skepticism.

After we check our coats, we slowly peruse the different exhibits. Today, the museum is having a very exclusive dinner in honor of a rare exhibit that unveils today after almost twenty years since it was last featured here.

Any other day my parents would also be in attendance. They absolutely _love_ coming here. In fact, GEH has had our annual holiday party here off and on for the past two decades. I'm fairly certain that my parents are the top donors here. But unfortunately, my mother is home tonight recovering from surgery and the subsequent complications. Part of me _really_ wishes that she were here tonight.

 _She may have talked me out of what I'm about to do._

After roaming around the different exhibits for about thirty minutes or so, Diana and I make our way over to the banquet area and quickly locate our assigned table. I leisurely smile and nod at our tablemates when they greet Diana and me. My mind is obviously not in this room but somewhere else. Soon after, the servers expeditiously deliver the meals one course at a time starting with a soup and/or salad. Tonight's main dish includes surf and turf featuring a most excellent prime rib that practically melts in your mouth.

Too bad I can barely eat it.

"Ted, what's the matter?" Diana leans over and whispers to me. Her sweet, gentle scent brings me comfort, but it's not enough keep me from feeling the urge to throw up.

"Nothing. I'm just… _tired_ ," I conjure up a lame excuse.

"I know. You were up early this morning working in your study," she says in understanding.

"Yeah – I had a difficult time sleeping," I say truthfully.

I've been anxious over this night for days, but I know that I _must_ follow through in spite of it. My father moved a couple of mountains in order to help me pull this off.

"Perhaps you'll get some sleep tonight," she purrs. And I know exactly where she's headed. Believe you me, I'm going to need whatever she's suggesting by the end of the night – _and a lot of it_. I wink at her, blow her a discrete kiss, and make one more attempt to finish my plate.

"Ladies and gentlemen…"

Metal forks loudly clank against porcelain plates the moment the speaker at the podium startles everyone.

"Welcome to the _Seattle Art Museum's 'Evening in the Stars'_ gala. We're so grateful to have your continued support. You make it possible to bring such marvelous exhibits like the one we're about to witness tonight. We are so pleased to welcome back the _Infinity Mirrors_ exhibit."

The _Infinity Mirrors_ exhibit was created by a world renowned Japanese artist. It's lauded all over the world. The last time it made an appearance here at the SAM, I had to been about four or five years old. My mother said that it's probably the most beautiful exhibit that she has ever seen. I really hope that she has a chance to see it before the end of the exhibit's run here.

"The magnificent exhibit will open up in exactly one hour. We will allow you to begin lining up at the entrance in just about thirty minutes from now," the emcee announces.

 _Shit. That's my cue._

I stand up and hold my hand out to my gorgeous date. _A shaky hand._

"What? But we haven't even had dessert," she reacts, confused by my gesture.

"We'll have dessert. Come. I need to show you something," I say, conjuring up a smile in the midst of my extreme jitters.

I'm afraid how my look translates to Diana due to the puzzled expression she now wears. With her eyes still on me, she tilts her head sideways as if she'd be able to read me any different this way. Reluctantly, she takes my offered hand and grabs her clutch with the other hand. I quietly lead her out of the banquet hall as the emcee continues to have the floor.

"Where are we going?" she whispers.

"You'll see," I smile.

I take her down a series of corridors. Eventually, we see a grand door roped off with a sign introducing the _Infinity Mirrors_ exhibit. There are two stiff, stoic men on either side guarding the door.

"Teddy, we are way too early. We're the only ones here," she says, stating the obvious.

"Mr. Grey?" one of the guards asks. I nod. I can feel the wind when Diana whips her head from him to me. The other guard steps aside as the first one opens the door.

Both me flash the two of us a knowing grin. Thankfully, Diana remains unassuming.

"Oh my God. Ted," she gasps. Her thrill suddenly takes the nerves away. I smile at her and take her by the hand once more.

 _The perks of being a Grey._

Once inside, Diana and I are immediately taken by the sight of mirrors, shiny black islands of platform scattered throughout, and what appears to be a million lit multi-colored LED orbs that mimic stars in a galaxy. It's like being transported into outer space on a rocket ship that suddenly ejects us and leaves us to float among the legion of tiny illuminating gasses. It's otherworldly. It's frankly one of the most breathtaking displays that I have ever seen.

Diana is entranced. She releases my hand and slowly roams the room. The door suddenly closes behind us.

"We have thirty minutes all to ourselves," I tell her. Her neck continues to get a workout as she roams the entire display in disbelief.

"Ted…I've never seen anything like this. _My God_ ," she gasps for the umpteenth time in just under a minute.

In this moment I feel that I've done good.  
 _Real good._

But the night's not over.  
 _Should I wait a while longer? Maybe I'll give her another 15 minutes._

"Can we take photographs in here?" she asks.

"Yes. We just can't post them to social media," I inform her.

She eagerly removes her phone from her clutch and begins to snap pictures as she strolls the room. We're separated for a few minutes, so I decide to rehearse in my head what happens next.

 _Are you sure about this, Grey?_

 _I made my decision. I've got to commit.  
Hell, even Dad's involved. I can't turn back now._

When I think that Diana is totally opposite of where I stand, I suddenly feel her hand on my shoulder. I'm shocked because I didn't even notice her high heels clacking against the solid floor, signaling that she was nearby. I was obviously too engrossed in my thoughts.

"Let's take a picture," she beams.

"Alright."

She and I huddle together, my arm around her waist as she aims the camera up and above us. After a few snaps, she lowers down her arm and wraps that one and the other one around my neck.

"This is wonderful, Teddy. Thank you. I'd kiss you, but I don't want to get my lipstick all over you," she shines.

"I understand. But I'm willing to make an exception. At least for tonight anyway."

 _It's now or never._

I pull away from her and take two steps back. I then lower myself until I land on one knee. I reach a hand inside of my inner tux pocket. Diana's eyes grow wider than I've ever seen them go. Her mouth soon joins in.

"Diana…you're my lover. You're my lover _and_ my best friend. You were there for me when no one else was. Every time I call an _SOS_ , you drop absolutely everything and rush to be by my side. I want to be so much more for you. I desire to be your everything and then some. Let me do that by becoming your husband. Marry me, Wonder Woman."

I pull out the small burgundy box and open it to reveal my great-grandmother's heirloom engagement ring. The very same ring that my great-grandfather Theodore Trevelyan used to proposed to her. It was a miracle that my dad was able to get his hands on this as well as land this private exhibit for us. Well – I'm sure that it wasn't _that much_ of an effort for him to help me make this night happen even though time was definitely of the essence. Still, Dad was more than eager to help. Proud, even.

Diana is now covering her gaping mouth with both hands. Tears begin to stream down her face taking some of her makeup with it.

"Oh my God… _yes_! Yes! _Hell_ yes!" she cries out. I don't even get a chance to slide the ring on her hand before she abruptly yanks me up from the floor. Her mouth hungrily gobbles up mine. I am both stunned and amused. Soon, I fall into and get lost in her kiss.

Just shy of 30 minutes in the exhibit, Diana and I exit. We're met by small crowd just beginning to line up at the entrance. Diana's still blushing a great deal, so she daintily waves her left hand at her face.

"Congratulations!" I hear a female voice call out of left field.

"Mr. Grey! Miss! Over here!" a male shouts.

Both Diana and I look straight ahead and see a photographer pointing his camera straight at us. Something tells me that someone at the SAM leaked out what took place during our private time in the exhibit to the media. If anything, a high profile engagement will bring them even more exposure.

I pull my brand new fiancée into my side by her slender waist and we both smile before a barrage of flashbulbs immediately go off in our faces.

* * *

 _Sunday, November 18, 2035_

 _Ana_

 _No way.  
No freaking way._

Completely dumbfounded, I reread the first line one more time.

 ** _Seattle Moguls' Heir Apparent Gets Engaged to Girlfriend at the SAM_**

 _My God…what did he just do?_

"Christian!" I shout.

Usually when I'm yelling out my husband's name in bed, it's for an entirely different reason. If I knew that losing blood and passing out for almost a day after having surgery would lead to my eldest child potentially making one of the biggest mistakes of his life, I wouldn't've had the damned surgery in the first place.

 _Oh my God, this is unbelievable._

"Christian!"

"Mom? What's the deal?" Beth says as she peeks her head in the door jamb.

"Where's your father? Tell him I need him. _Now_ ," I say through gritted teeth.

Beth sighs and turns on her heel. "She _knows_ ," I hear her utter to someone else.

Did everyone but me know that Teddy was planning on doing this? If so, I am going to raise pure hell. No one here is safe.

No one.

Moments later, my unassuming husband ( _or pretending to be_ ) saunters into our bedroom. He's wearing a shit eating grin that I very much want to claw off with my bare hands.

"Baby, did you…"

I turn my tablet around and angrily stab the headline with my finger.

"Did you see this?" I squawk.

His smile doesn't fade.

I scoff. "Of course you did. This has your name written _all over it_!" I snap.

He places his hand to his chest and feigns innocent. "What are you talking about? This was all Ted's idea."

I stare silently at him and don't say another word. I know that he is omitting some very pertinent information. And if I have to pull it out of him, it's not going to be pretty.

"He asked for my help. I got in touch with the SAM and I spoke to my dad about my grandmother's ring."

 _Christ, he proposed with Grandma Trevelyan's ring._  
This story just gets progressively worse.

My head falls back into my pillow. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me," I sigh. Words can't express how much against this entire thing I am.

 _Teddy doesn't truly want to marry her.  
He's doing this out of obligation._

I could literally just scream right now. Christian senses this immediately and tries to calm me down.

"Bunny…"

But to no avail.

"Christian, why am I the last to know about these things?" I lament.

"It wasn't on purpose. You were still in the hospital when Ted decided this all on his own."

"Of course," I sneer. He winces, surprised by my level of irritation.

 _Teddy should've waited.  
I would've talked him out of this._

"Baby, I thought you'd be happy for our son. Diana is a _wonderful_ young woman."

"I never said she wasn't," I flash defensively.

"She's beautiful – inside _and_ out, and extremely intelligent. She comes from a good family. She's very driven. She loves our son…"

 _Don't care.  
This doesn't feel right._

"I don't have a good feeling about this, Christian. _It's_ …much too soon," I say, shaking my head in discontent. He sits down on the bed right beside me and attempts to soothe me by massaging my scalp. Nothing he does will aide this sickening feeling I developed upon reading that dreadful bolded headline.

" _Too soon_?" he winces. "How long did you and I know each other before I proposed? Ted has known her for over three years. The timing seemed perfect – to _me_ , anyway."

" _We_ were in love, Christian," I argue.

"So are you saying that Diana doesn't love our son?" he says, narrowing his eyes.

"I'm _not_ saying that," I snap.

"Well what is it you're saying, then?"

He will never get it. A mother's intuition is something that he will never understand.

"Sweet lord, Ana. Was that _you_ yelling like a manic a minute ago?"

Christian and I face the owner of that voice at the door. My mother saunters into our bedroom with deep concern etched on her wise face. I close my eyes and lean further into my pillow.

"She just read the headline," Christian quietly tells Carla.

"Oh boy," she murmurs despairingly.

"You _knew_?" I hiss at her.

"Why don't you give me a moment with her?" my mother utters to Christian. I watch as my husband makes his way out of our bedroom and closes the door behind him.

I sit up fully prepared to give my mother the third degree. "You talked to Teddy when he was thinking about doing this?" My voice is higher pitched than I expected.

"Ana," Carla coos as she takes a seat at my side.

"Mom!" I answer with a look of irritation.

"Honey, what is the big deal? Teddy just got engaged to someone he cares deeply about. It was bound to happen eventually. The same thing happened to me almost 25 years ago. My one and only child got snatched up by the hottest bachelor in Seattle. Now your oldest child, today's hottest bachelor in the city gets claimed by a deserving, intelligent, respectable – _gorgeous_ young lady. Just like you."

"You don't understand," I say, practically whining.

"What don't I understand?" she challenges.

"Christian has been badgering him all year to propose to her. Teddy has continued to tell him that he wasn't ready. Then the very moment that I _nearly_ die, Teddy decides to propose?" I question bitterly.

A sudden wave of understand flashes across my dear mother's face. "Oh, I see."

"Yeah," I sneer. "So you see, I'm not _one hundred percent_ understanding with this. Granted, Diana is a _very_ lovely girl, _but_ …" I pause, unable to articulate what else to say.

" _But_?" Carla challenges. "Teddy and Diana have been good friends for a while now. They recently moved in together. It's obvious that they're in love."

 _What is everyone else seeing that I'm not?_

"It looks one-sided to me."

I can't believe that the words just tumble right out of my mouth. _It's Anastasia: Unplugged Revival Tour_ courtesy of menopause _._ Even my mother is surprised. I'm certain that she's going to ask me to further explain, so I divert her by restating something that I said earlier.

"Christian pressured him into proposing. Point blank."

"You know just as well as I do that Teddy doesn't do anything that Teddy doesn't want to do."

"He didn't think he had a choice," I appeal. "He was under duress. I don't think he should've proposed under those circumstances."

She tightens her mouth and shrugs her shoulders. "Well Ana dear, you're just going to have to suck it up because the happy couple will be here for dinner tonight."

 _Shit_ – I almost forgot. Well if anything, it'll give me the chance to give my son a piece of my mind. Hopefully he'll finally come to his senses and not rush to get married.

"I need to speak to Teddy alone tonight," I resolve.

"Honey, don't do anything foolish. You don't want to make Diana feel unwelcomed," my mother forewarns.

At this point, I'm only thinking about my son.

….

At dinner, I'm seated in my usual chair at one end of the table. Mom and the twins expeditiously serve the rest of us. I tried to help being that it's Gail's day off, but I was forced by everyone in the house to remain seated. To my left, Phoebe and Hanson laugh it up with Teddy and Diana who are seated next to them. Every so often, my eldest nervously glances over at me.

He obviously knows that I am not too pleased about his current situation considering his fleeting looks. He's also well aware that I want to speak to him privately after dinner.

But what I didn't bank on is that Diana would sense the unintentional chill radiating from me. After attempting to be sweet and cordial, she eventually gives up and steers clear of me. I could just as easily blame it on my soreness and fatigue.

Recovery is a bitch.  
Menopause at 46 is even a bigger bitch.

I'm obviously having a hard time pretending to be anything _but_ concerned about their sudden engagement. However on the exact opposite side of the room, Christian is grinning and laughing. Our two ends of the table are like day and night. Usually, he's the brooding one and I'm the one yucking it up with the kids. This evening in particular, our roles have totally reversed.

Sometime after dinner, Ted finally makes his way over to me in the great room as I sit with Topher and my mother. I promise my youngest boy my swift return as stand to leave the room with his big brother.

I look behind me and watch as Diana take my spot and tickle Topher until he can't stop laughing. It's then when I start to think that maybe I am in fact overreacting to this engagement. But nonetheless, I can't help but question the timing of it all.

"Your study?" Teddy asks as we slowly roam down the corridor. We're headed in that direction, so I nod. He loops out his arm, silently insisting that I take it. I do. Regardless of the current circumstances, I still can't help but want to smile at his chivalry. Still, the loving gesture doesn't do much to dullen my concern which warrants our next discussion.

"How've you been feeling?" he asks.

"I've been better," I quip.

"Pain still?" he says, tilting his head towards me in concern.

"Yeah – but I'm getting better," I assure him.

"Any effects from the blood loss – like loss of memory?"

 _Does he think I'm going senile?  
_ I dismiss the thought.

"I can't tell. I'm in bed all of the time. I'm just sick of looking at that room," I chuckle as we take a turn into my study. I sit on the sofa and he joins me after he closes the door.

"I told Diana that you were still recuperating and to not take your aloofness personal."

I blink at his statement. "She said that I was aloof?"

"She _um_ …feels that you're upset with her," he treads carefully.

"Why would I be upset with her?" I pose the question.

"Mom." He smirks at me as if he knows that I'm not being completely honest with him.

"Help me understand something. Why did you feel the need to propose _now_?" I ask. It's apparent that Teddy didn't expect for me to be so frank this quickly in our talk.

He closes his eyes in contemplation and then reopens them with some resolve. "Mom, when I saw you lying unconscious that first day in the hospital, I realized how short life was. Thank God you came back to us," he sighs, relieved. "I didn't want to have any more regrets."

Reflexively, I roll my eyes. My action startles him. "Honey, you are still quite young. You _don't_ need to rush this," I plead.

"Did you hear what I just said?" he chuckles in frustration. "Tomorrow isn't promised. You proved that to all of us nine days ago."

"Sweetie, you were just overly emotional after my incident. This was a hasty call on your part."

" _Hasty_?" His head tilts at me sideways and he lets out another chuckle. "You and Dad were engaged after less than three months of dating."

Again, he's pulling out the same tired card that his father continues to use on me. Christian and I were _so much_ different. There wasn't a question that we were meant for each other.

I decide to give Teddy the ultimate litmus test.

"Are you in love with Diana?"

He snorts before answering, " _Of course_ I love her."

 _Mmm hmm._

I narrow my eyes at him. "That isn't what I asked you."

Ignoring me, he goes on a tangent about how he's living with his best friend and how it was inevitable that they would eventually marry.

"You're supposed to marry your best friend, _right_?" he says rhetorically. But it's rather apparent that he's more so soliciting my final approval of the situation.

I come to the conclusion that no matter what I say or how I feel, Teddy is dead set on marrying Diana. Relenting, I nod at him as my mouth inches into a smile.

Still. I'm not one hundred percent convinced that Diana is truly the girl for him. However, I've heard others say the same about Christian – that he wasn't necessarily the man for me. Kate immediately comes to mind. But today, Kate's probably one of Christian's biggest advocates. She fully understands how he and I were meant to be together. Perhaps I will endure the same fate as Kate. Maybe one of these days, I'll see how good Diana is for my son.

Again – _still_ , I can tell that Diana can be just as pushy as Christian. I'm not sure how long Teddy will be able to endure that side of her since he's been bumping heads with his own father since his late teens. The argument can also be made that although Christian and I have had our past run-ins over my career, among other things, he eventually let me to do what I wanted.

Does Diana have that same temperament? Will she battle him at every turn if his agenda doesn't perfectly line up with hers? Today, Christian and I are truly a team. He lets me have carte blanche at GEH.

Can _they_ be that?

I know that my son has big dreams. A mother's hope is that her children follow their dreams and bask in the glory of their fulfillment. It's in that moment that I feel the need to address a deeper issue than just Teddy proposing to Diana.

"When I was around your age, I had a tough decision to make. I had to decide whether I should leave a job that anyone in their right mind would give a limb for in order to pursue my dream in publishing. Your father of all people didn't make things easy for me." His smirk indicates that he knows exactly the sort of man that his father can be.

 _When Christian Grey truly wants his way, he fights tooth and nail to get it._

"Your father eventually relented and allowed me leave the company. I worked my ass off at Emerald City Publishing. I officiated change that completely transformed the way that they do business. I later decided that publishing wasn't for me. _I_ decided," I say with emphasis.

"In the end, it did turn out that I wanted exactly what your father did. But it was important that he allow me to make my own mistakes and to find my own way." I place my hand on my son's lap.

"Sweetheart, no matter what ended up happening to me in that hospital…"

"Mom," he winces, pained. "Don't _ever_ say that."

I ignore him and continue. "I want you to be happy doing whatever it is that you dream of doing. If that doesn't include GEH, then so be it. I will support you no matter how your father may feel at first. And most importantly, remember that I will always love you – no matter what. And so will your father."

Teddy suddenly starts to sink into his chair. He rolled his eyes after I mentioned the part about his father.

"If you decided to leave GEH, your father might be upset at first, but he'll get over it. _Eventually_ ," I say with a soft smile.

"I don't think that he would," he says soberly. His words prick my heart. "Besides, GEH is my destiny. I need to be there not only for me, but for our entire family."

I shake my head in disagreement. It pains me to see that he feels this way; that his deepest dreams and aspirations mean absolutely nothing. "Teddy, the entire burden of GEH doesn't solely rest on you. There are enough people in this entire family to pick up the slack." He closes his eyes, appearing be wrestling with the thought.

Personally, I don't see all five of my children running the company after Christian and I have gone. Teddy, Phoebe, the twins, Topher…they're all so different. The only one other than Ted who has the level of drive in business as well as ambition, compounded with the love of what Christian and I do at GEH is Phoebe.

Who's to say that Phoebe's name won't appear on the door of the office on the 20th floor instead of Ted's?

At the end of our talk, I tell him that although I don't necessarily agree with his decision to get engaged under duress, I will support him no matter what. It is my job as a mother to love and be there for all of my children. Just like me many years before, Teddy will need to find his own way. Let's hope that at the end of the day, Diana is everything that Teddy and Christian believes she is. And if she's not, she'll have me to contend with.

Diana Fenkell has not even seen _Mrs. Grey: Unplugged_.  
Nor would she want to.

* * *

 _Monday, November 19, 2035_

 _Ted_

"Ted! I hear that congratulations are in order," Marisol greets as I enter the office first thing in the morning.

"Thanks. Did you see it in the news?" I ask as I place my coat in her already extended hand. She turns towards the closet.

"No, I didn't but I ran into Darcy in the café and she told me all about it."

Jesus, I swear. This Darcy character is just way too busy with GEH gossip instead of real work. I know that my engagement is public knowledge, but how in the world does something like that come up while someone is just taking two minutes out of their morning to grab coffee?

 _Darcy works in Hanson's group.  
Perhaps she was the idiot who generated the typo on those Germany numbers. God knows she's often distracted with gossip._

As I frown at the mere thought of _Dishin' Darcy_ , it hits me that Marisol's _well wishes_ to my recent engagement weren't really _that_. _'I hear that congratulations are in order'_ isn't the normal way of celebrating a milestone with someone who you've grown close to as a colleague and confidant.

I expect that kind of reception from Bruce over in security, but _not_ Marisol.

I've always had a feeling that she wasn't so keen on my new fiancée. One of these days, I will ask Marisol to be completely honest with me. But today is _not_ that day. There's tons on my plate these days.

"So, you have two separate leadership symposium events on the calendar. Both groups are also requesting you as keynote speaker," Marisol starts, now carrying her notepad. "You also have interview requests from K5 and KOMO."

"Really?" I say, surprised. I know that Marisol follows me close behind, so I make my way from the reception area to my office.

"K5 wants to interview you and Miss Diana about your recent engagement."

I scoff. "Of course they do. By the way, the media's been officially barred from the engagement party if anyone asks."

"They also want a separate segment on 2040 PTF. KOMO just wants to talk about 2040 PTF and not your personal life."

"Hmm…" I pounder aloud. "I wonder if my aunt Kate is going to do the KOMO interview. If it's with her, then I'll do it."

Marisol gapes at me. " _Kate Kavanagh's_ your aunt? I _love_ her on the six o'clock news!"

I nod as I sit behind my desk. "Well, _unofficially_. She's been my mother's best friend since forever and she's currently dating my uncle."

"As of recently?"

"Her and my Uncle Elliot were together before I was born. Matter of fact, they got together even before my parents did."

"And they never married?" she says, surprised.

"It's a long story," I smirk.

"So," she segues. "Where's the engagement party? For you and Miss Diana, that is." she inquires.

"We're shooting for the day after Thanksgiving. So expect an invite soon," I smile.

"That's quite convenient. Chances are out-of-town family members and friends will already be there that weekend."

I nod. "That's the intent. In fact, my folks did the very same thing when they got engaged. They had their party the Friday after Thanksgiving at my grandparents' place."

"So you'll be having yours at your folks'," she guesses correctly. I nod and she smiles. "I'm looking forward to seeing where you grew up."

"That place is enormous. As soon as the twins leave the nest, my folks are considering downsizing. It's too much house for them these days. Once Brie and Beth head to college next year, it'll just be them and Topher," I reveal.

"I don't blame them. Sometimes a huge house can be more than what it's worth," she nods in understanding.

Diana absolutely _loves_ my parents' home. I idly wonder if she's expecting us to have something like it. She is always raving about mom and dad and how much she admires and aspires to be just like them. Granted, there are way worse people to be in life other than Christian and Anastasia Grey.

….

I finally get a mental break at 4:30. I have a call with Sydney, Australia scheduled at five.

As if my mind knows that I have a little wiggle room, Sophie squeezes into it.

I wonder if she knows about my engagement, or if she even cares. But more than anything, I wonder if that child advocacy group she enlisted is making good headway in her case. Gerts is continuing to collect intel against the Glenns that I'm quite certain will help her case.

Against my better judgment, I pick up my cell phone and call Sophie at the last number she called me from. It barely rings before picking up.

"Ted?"

"Hey," I respond, trying to mask my nerves.

"How are you?" she peps.

She really sounds good.  
This could be a positive thing.

"Doing well, thanks. _You_?"

"I'm hanging in there," she chuckles in that way that makes my insides warm.

"I was just thinking about you and wondered how the case was coming along."

"Well – things are moving at a snail's pace, but they're moving regardless," she reveals.

"Look, I know that you told me to back off now that you've hired this non-profit group. But I must confess that I'm still pulling data on your case in the off-chance that you will call back for my help."

"Really," she says, surprised.

"Yep."

"So…what exactly do you know?" If I didn't know better, the crack in her voice lends to the idea that she's nervous. I don't know why she would be.

 _Does she know something that I don't?  
Does she have anything to hide?_

"Well, it's mostly about how the Glenns paid settlements to those who have accused their other sons of misconduct. One son was accused of assaulting a former female employee at one of their dealerships. Well – actually it was _three_ female employees."

"Whoa," she gasps.

"Yeah. Then we have another Glenn offspring who avoided jail time simply because their very wealthy parents offered the judge their plush home for their son to serve out his _brutal_ sentence," I snark.

"House arrest?" she squeaks.

"Uh huh. And as far as I'm concerned, even though that house arrest is over, your child doesn't need to be anywhere near there. Even if these convicts aren't currently residing there, they still have access to come and go as they please."

"Yeah, for sure," she says with hope expelling from her voice. Hearing that sort of lifts some of the heavy burden that I've been carrying since first hearing of Sophie's misfortunes.

"The Glenns did a bang-up job covering up these public records, so your lawyer wouldn't have found it easily. So, do you think you can use any of that information?"

"Absolutely. I can't thank you enough," she exhales. "Can you mail that to my attorney for me? I can text you the address."

"Will do. I'll even have a currier drop it off."

"Wonderful. Thank you Ted. This will definitely help."

"No problem. _Is_ …is there anything else I can do?" I awkwardly ask.

"If by chance you can speed up the court process any," she says jokingly, now laughing.

"Yeah, I'll see what I can do," I say in all seriousness. Her laughing stops.

" _Are_ …are you serious?" she utters.

"Sure. I know people. Friends of friends. Family of friends. I don't know what judge will end up with your case, but I will find out. Once I do, perhaps we can move your case further up the docket. How does that sound?"

There's silence over the line. With each passing moment, I grow more concerned.

"Sophie?"

"I'm here. Do you think I have a solid case right now?" she asks with uncertainty.

"From where I stand, you absolutely do. However I don't know how your lawyers are progressing." After I say that, I soon get another thought. "Hey – what do you think about me sending another lawyer in to the child advocacy office to chat with those who are working on your case? If there are any loopholes, my guy will help tighten them up. Then once we find where your case stand in the courts, we'll escalate it. How does that sound?" I offer.

"My goodness – that would be great," she gasps. " _But_ …but I don't want you to pay a lawyer all that money," she responds.

"I already have a lawyer on retainer, so he's not getting paid any more than he would be. Besides, he'll only be advising for the day. He'll have a chat with those helping you; he'll give them a few pointers and then leave. It's that simple."

"Oh, Teddy…thank you _so_ , so much. _I_ …I don't know what to do to…"

"No worries. Just take care of yourself – you and your son. That's all I ask," I say softly.

A cold feeling rushes over me. I hate being so distant from her, but this is the way it has to be. I have my life now, and her life will soon restart once she is able to get her son back.

"I will, I promise. As soon as I get him back, I'm going to take one graduate class a semester. It'll help me a leg up whenever I decide to apply to go to school for my PhD. Washington State has a great hospitality and tourism program," she says in a voice full of hope.

"Soph, that's fantastic…"I gasp, beaming with pride.

"Yeah. And I just got a call from my old manager at the Marriott. He wants me to come in and speak with him."

"Man – that's great. Does he have a job open for you?" I know she's been working odd jobs here and there, but nothing in her field since she got fired from her last night auditing job. A position at Marriott will at least put her right back in the hospitality network.

Thoughts of Sophie running her own bed and breakfast flash in my mind before I shake them away. We used to always talk about that back when we were together.

"I'm not sure. My friend Stacey who also worked there ran into our old boss and told him some of what was going on with me. He insisted that I'd come in to see him."

"Well I hope that it leads to something."

"So do I. _Look_ – I've gotta take this call on the other line. I promise to call you back with an update on the case," she says.

"Sure. Let me know if there's anything else you need," I implore.

"You've already done plenty. Thank you." Her gratitude seems genuine, although hesitant.

"G'bye Soph."

"Goodbye Teddy. Talk to you soon."

When she hangs up, I feel a surge of nervous energy flowing through my bloodstream. It's reflexive and completely unexplainable. And although she tells me that I've already done too much for her, somehow, I feel like I haven't really done enough.

I'm borderline tempted to accompany my lawyer to that meeting with the non-profit myself. I want to be able to make the decisions on the fly and get things rolling so that Sophie can see her son again sooner rather than later. No judge in their right mind will give that child over to the Glenns.

I'm happy to hear that Sophie could be rebounding with her job situation. I'm tempted to help her in that area, too. However, I don't want news getting back to her that I had a hand in landing her a job.

 _Perhaps I should've offered her a job at GEH?_

I quickly brush away the thought. It's simply ludicrous. Don't even know why I even entertained the thought.

A knock at my door breaks me out of my erratic thoughts.

Mom's gone for the year. Dad's working, but he's doing so from home. It only leaves one person who's allowed to bypass Marisol.

"Come in."

"Hey…I know you're busy. I just need a minute," Diana says as she enters my office.

"Sure," I smile.

After shutting the door, she takes a seat on the other side of my desk. Once settled, she looks me square in the eye.

"I'm your fiancée now, right?" she says sweetly.

I smile big. "Yes."

"So do you honestly think that it will be a problem with Hanson and Phoebe if you put me on your team?"

Well, she didn't beat around the bush.

"My data guru already has a full roster," I tell her.

"I don't have to do analysis. You know exactly what I'm capable of. I _really_ want to work for you. We don't spend time together like we used to."

And we're back to this again.

"Sweetheart, it's getting better. We're back to going out on Fridays again. Our team has hit our stride. I honestly don't know where I'd put you where you wouldn't be wasting your time and talent doing mindless _busy work_ ," I say honestly.

"Well why don't you just shuffle some folks around? Perhaps put someone back in their old department?" she frankly suggests.

I narrow my eyes at her. We're engaged now and she thinks that she can just barge in here and tell me what to do?

 _Well, this_ _ **is**_ _the same girl who's currently being mentored by my father._

Would Diana even dare go over my head in order to force herself into my group?

 _Trust me, my father would do it if he had to.  
Bloody hell._

Now granted, she does make an excellent point. A fiancée is much different from a girlfriend. Therefore, Hanson can't get mad if I bring Diana on board. Let's face it, fiancée and wives are exempt from counter-nepotism rules.

It has also been many months since the blow of Hanson's team being yanked from PTF. The wounds are no longer fresh, and Phoebe is working away at Grey Publishing these days.

I decide to let Diana tell me exactly what she should be doing in PTF.  
If she makes a good case, perhaps I'll reconsider hiring her.

"What is it that you want to do on the team?" I ask her, point blank.

"I want to work by your side, Teddy. When you pass me the ball, I want to strategize and hand it back to you in the best possible time before you make the shot. That's called an _assist_ , right?" she beams.

I nod and chuckle at her well-put basketball analogy.

"I want to be the jelly to your peanut butter...the yin to your yang," she sasses. I laugh.

"Babe, you're already those things," I grin lovingly.

"Not just at home. I want to be to you what your mother is to your father. I want us to be a team in all things. Can't we be a team here, too? Do you even want that as much as I do?" she challenges.

I sigh, closing my eyes.

Before the end of the day, Diana is signing paperwork over at human resources.  
She is the brand new support manager for Propel the Future.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Next up – It's a new year and all hell breaks loose in the Grey household when the drama-stirring TV crew helps to drive a wedge between the inseparable twins._**

 ** _At GEH, Diana wastes no time when she attempts to pick her future mother-in-law's brain over the family business._**

 ** _Also, Ted finds out that someone's been dropping major loot to fight on Sophie's behalf, but he has no clue who it could be._**

 ** _Oh, and as an ultimate "Welcome back to Grey House, Phoebe" present, big brother Ted finally solves the case of the botched PTF PowerPoint presentation. Trust me, it's good._** **:D**

 ** _We're breezing through that particular plot in order to get to the true meat of the story. I hope to be done with Family Business by the end of the year since it's been unfinished since December 2016. I have so many wonderful things in store for my faithful readers in 2018, especially for those of you who want me to get back to writing about just Christian and Ana._** **:)**

 ** _Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	19. Chapter 19 - My Mama Don't Like You

**Chapter 19 – My Mama Don't Like You (And She Likes Everyone)**

 _Monday, January 7, 2036_

 _Ana_

I can't recall ever being this relieved for a Monday.

Technically I started back working last week on the 2nd. _Well_ – even earlier than that really, but I hadn't disabled my automatic email response message until the day after New Year's. I stressed to my overzealous husband how important it was for me to gradually wean myself back on to all things GEH as opposed to getting shell shocked by having tons of emails and catch-up meetings piled up on my first official day in the office.

This past weekend has been a rather stressful one, and it didn't help to have the MTV production crew all over the house. Don't get me wrong, our home is enormous and it's difficult for even fifteen people to interfere in each other's spaces. However, the cameramen, the boom guys, and whomever else that don't actually live there somehow manage to impede our lives on a daily basis.

Christian's strict filming rules are heavily enforced. In fact he came quite close to snatching one of the cameras from an operator and breaking it with his bare hands until I rushed over to calm him down. If Christian isn't home to tell the crew to take their cameras out of my face or Topher's – Taylor, Sawyer, or whomever else Christian has assigned the task is hot on the job.

Now, Christian is gone for the week leaving me to endure the madness at home with the twins and their annoying filming crew. As of early this morning he's headed to the Swiss Alps for the GEH global leadership conference. I was the one who pretty much help set up that entire event, but Christian and I agreed that I would stay put since I am continuing to deal with some health issues.

Menopause is a rotten whore.

All of the retched symptoms have kicked in – insomnia, moodiness, irritability. And the mother load of them all: A decreased sex drive. Menopause has been kicking my ass.

Look, I'm always going to want to please my husband. That's just how I am and how I've always been with him. I will never get tired of hearing his moans resulting from my influence, and his sexy ' _Oh shit, Bunny'_ growls. _Sweet lord._

But there's just something in me that doesn't want to be penetrated these days. Now granted, we haven't really tried because Christian is still overly cautious. I was initially told that I would be okay six weeks after surgery. Then my complications happened which messed with the original recovery timetable. So technically, I don't know exactly when I have the _all clear_ to have intercourse again.

Truth be told, I hope that when I see my doctor in a couple of days, she tells me that I'm not quite ready for vaginal penetration just yet. I still enjoy kissing and cuddling in bed with Christian. I still enjoy pleasuring my husband with my mouth. He's done that with me as well since the surgery and in spite of how my body reacts to his extremely gifted tongue, I still feel rather weird about him doing that.

I know – it's probably just all in my head. Something tells me that it has everything to do with no longer having my _womanhood_ in tact. I've given birth to five beautiful children with that womanhood. And although I'm 46 and had no plans to birth any more children after Topher, I still feel rather conflicted.

I feel empty.

And I _shouldn't_. I know – it's very selfish of me to feel this way. There are many women out there who can _never_ have children, and here I am with _five_ perfect kids. I couldn't ask for anything more. Still, I can't help but feel the way I feel. It's a reflexive emotion that I simply can't control.

So as soon as I was able to get back to work, I decided to dive in. It's been a great distraction from what's been happening inside of me. I'm also looking forward to accompanying Topher to his swim class again this coming Saturday. While I've been recovering, he's been alternating between Phoebe and his grandmother Grace as substitutes. However, it's a _Mommy & Me_ class and Topher really misses going there with me, as he ceaselessly tells me. He's such a sweetheart.

Topher has also stressed his desire to spend time with his friend Ronan outside of swim class. A couple of weeks ago, Phoebe exchanged numbers with Shannon, Topher's grandmother so that the two boys could call one another from time to time. I couldn't have guessed from the moment Topher got ahold of my cell phone that he and Ronan would in fact talk non-stop if Shannon or I didn't intervene.

One day, Topher had Ronan on speaker and they were just gabbing away – _about goodness knows what_. But the two of them were so animated going back and forth. It was the cutest thing ever. When it was time for Topher to hang up and have dinner, he pouted the entire time at the table. After repossessing my phone, I was able to speak to Shannon for a few minutes, who was glad to hear from me. She'd heard about my surgery from Grace and was happy that I was doing much better and would be returning to swim class soon.

Shannon also told me some great news of her own. Her daughter is apparently getting close to having her case dropped and will be able to have Ronan again. Perhaps one of these Saturdays I will finally get to meet her. I know that she's been down on her luck recently, but she can't be all that terrible of a human. Ronan is a sweet, wonderful boy whom she raised all by herself until she couldn't. She may have made some bad choices with Ronan's father, but she's apparently working on herself so she can be strong enough to support both herself and her little boy.

….

I arrive home with Gloria just after five o'clock. One foot isn't even out of the car door when Topher comes barreling into the garage anxiously.

"Mommy! Mommy! Quick, Brie is getting ready to hurt Beth!"

I gape at him. "What in the world's going on?"

"She's screaming in her face with the cameras on them!"

 _Dear heavens._ I take in a deep breath. Once I see Gloria take Topher by the hand, I proceed through the garage into the house.

I can hear the screaming all the way down the hall.

"Did you kiss Jesse, _yes_ or _no_?!"

 _Jesse Rogers?  
Brie's ex?_

My stomach drops. I know that's Brie balking, so I pick up the pace and jog in high heels and a skirt towards the kitchen where the commotion is coming from.

"Why does it matter anyway?!" a different voice answers. It's definitely Beth.

"Girls – _please_!" I hear Mrs. Taylor pleading, but it's to no avail.

"It matters! You're _not_ supposed to make out with my ex! _Ever!_ It's against the _girl code_! And you're my sister _and_ my _twin_ to make matters even worse!"

After what seems to be a lifetime ( _dammit, I_ _ **really**_ _need that smaller house_ ), I finally arrive in the kitchen. I see Mrs. Taylor panicking off to the side while three cameras are practically on top of the twins at the island with a boom mic hovering above them.

"You treated Jesse like crap, Brie! I told you a long time ago to stop hurting him and taking him for granted, but you wouldn't listen!"

"So you took it upon yourself to put your mouth on my ex-boyfriend out of _spite_?!" Brie screams, on the verge of tears.

"That wasn't supposed to happen!" Beth shouts back, also on the verge of tears.

"So you _did_ kiss him!" Brie squawks, nearly rising up to pounce on her sister.

Just before I jump in to separate the girls, I overhear one of the producers speaking in a hush tone to someone.

"Good work Barbara on getting Jesse to confide in Beth at school. This is going to be _phenomenal_ TV," he says with a shit-eating grin.

 _Oh my God, these fuckers are orchestrating complete chaos between my daughters._

"Why can't you find our own boyfriend who's not any of my exes?! Or are you completely incapable of doing things on your own without riding my coattails! You may look like me but you're _not_ , so stop pretending to be me and get your own guy!" Brie roars. Beth is literally seconds away from falling apart.

I've had more than enough.

"Alright, everyone – _out_! Out of my house!" I shout. I begin to swat away the cameramen with my shoulder bag and they all scatter away like mice. When the kid on the boom doesn't move fast enough, I come pretty close to clobbering him on the knees with my bag. He bows his legs, finally getting the picture and moves out with the rest of them. The producer and his partner stand there with a shocked expression on their faces. I'm about ready to clobber them square on the head with my heavy computer bag.

"Show's over! You and your crew are no longer welcome in my home!" I bark at the producer and his crony.

"Mrs. Grey – what's the problem?" The producer feigns innocent.

"Filming with the _Grey twins_ is officially over. I'm pulling them from the show," I growl.

"It's your fault! I hate you!" Brie shouts clear in the face of her sister before storming out. Beth begins to bawl before she stomps out after her. My eyelids clamp down; I'm pained. My twin girls have never fought like this – _ever_.

 _And this is all their fault._ I glare at the two people standing before me.

"Mrs. Grey, we apologize but this is real life. That's what this show's all about," the producer kindly explains.

"Don't bullshit me. I overheard what you said," I snarl as I look between the two of them. "You intentionally set them up by having Brie's ex confide in her sister. If that's not _low_ …"

The producer raises his hands to placate me. "Look, that wasn't our intent, but we're here to film the real lives of teens in affluent Seattle. Again, this is real life, Mrs. Grey – good, bad, or _ind_ …"

"Get out!" I scream.

"Look, I'll have Michelle give you a call ASAP. We really love filming your twin girls. They are the real stars of the show," the man begs cowardly.

"Fuck Michelle! I don't care! Show's over! I'm also calling the school to make sure that you no longer film my daughters there! _Capiche_?!"

"Mrs. Grey," the woman finally speaks up with a calm voice. "We are so sorry to upset you. We know about your surgery, so I understand how stressful all of this may be for you."

I'm so tempted to punch this broad square in the mouth. She's the one mostly to blame for what just occurred in my kitchen a second ago.

"We can get Michelle on the phone right now and she'll explain everything. We'll even have the girls making up before the end of the season."

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?!" In the past, that would've been my inside voice saying that. But since I've begun menopause, my filter has been decimated. "I asked you nicely to leave my home. The next time won't be so nice," I guarantee.

"Mrs. Grey, I'm sorry to remind you that you and your husband signed a contract. Therefore you're obligated to let us film your girls until the end of the school year," the bitch called _'Barbara'_ volleys.

"And the terms of that contract state that either my husband or myself have the right to pull our girls off the show at any given time," I say the final part of that sentence slowly.

Bitch Barbara looks over at her boss who purses his lips and hunches up his shoulders in surrender.

"But we've already filmed so much of them. They _are_ the show," the woman quietly argues with her boss. He places his hands behind his back in a gesture to let her know that his hands are in fact tied.

Two seconds later, Sawyer marches into the kitchen with Gail close behind. I hadn't realized she'd left.

"You will have to vacate the premises now, or I'll be forced to escort you out," Sawyer says not too kindly to the two intruders. Luke absolutely adores the twins, so seeing the two dipshits who caused their rift in our midst doesn't sit well with him.

Just then, two others from our security team enter the kitchen. They stand waiting to hear Luke say _'go'_. The two idiots from the show look as though they're about to crap their pants.

"I'm terribly sorry about this, Mrs. Grey. I sincerely hope that you change your mind about us filming the twins," the producer says sincerely.

I frown at him. "Not a chance. Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out."

The two eject-ees lower their heads and file out of the kitchen in defeat with Sawyer and team trailing close behind. After they depart, Gloria and Topher enter the kitchen. I thank Gloria for keeping an eye on my little one and tell her that I will see her in the morning. We hug and she leaves.

"Ana, I feel awful," Mrs. Taylor starts. I take in a deep breath in preparation of what she's about to tell me. "I came in here earlier with Topher in order to get him a snack. That's when I witnessed the commotion."

"Mommy?" Topher calls as he tugs down my sleeve. I keep my focus on Mrs. Taylor as she continues.

"I'd just sent Luke to the store to grab a few things to finish up dinner before this all came about," Gail explains.

" _Grrr_ ," I growl through gritted teeth.

Those assholes knew exactly when to strike. My husband is out of town on business. Our head of security is gone with him. The second that our interim security lead leaves the grounds, the producers plant a seed, which leads to the explosion that took place in our kitchen a short time ago.

 _Pure tabloid fodder.  
They are going to eat it up once this all airs._

I cringe at the notion. I am _so_ tempted to sabotage that entire show now. I don't want anyone's child on that dumpster fire of a program, much less _mine_.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Topher tugs at me again.

"I knew that you were almost home based on your shared GPS location. So I sent Topher out to bring you here while I kept an eye on the girls."

I shake my head in disbelief.

"Mommy – listen to _meeee_!" Topher whines.

Hell, I wish this all happened when Christian was home. I don't feel like handling this huge mess all by myself, especially in my current physical state.

"I'll go ahead and finish up dinner," Gail says as she gently rubs me on the shoulder and pats Topher softly on the head. She then turns on her heel.

"Mommy!"

"Yes, Topher," I sigh in irritation, unsure of where to begin. Should I go calm Brie down first – or will I have better luck with Beth? At the moment, I have a pressing issue that's waist-high. I lower head and focus my eyes clearly on his.

"Is Beth a thot now?"

My jaw nearly falls out of my mouth.  
"Christopher Carrick Grey!" I screech in horror.

" _What_ ," he whines, knowing that I am now upset with him since I've called him by his government name.

According to the Urban Dictionary, ' _thot'_ is a term used for young females who're prone to posting provocative selfies on social media. They're also the type of girl who's likely to steal your guy. It's a word that became prevalent way back when Teddy was about Topher's age.

 ** _THOT – That Hoe Over There_**

Where in the world did my preschooler learn such awful language from?

….

I'm in bed in my PJs along with my latest read when I hear a chime. Christian is apparently trying to reach me via hologram instead of by phone. I'm still kind of annoyed that he insisted that we set one up in our bedroom, too. We already have one of these contraptions in a separate room where the entire family can use it. Everything tells me that he had ulterior motives with this recent bedroom update.

I lean over to my bedside table, grab the remote and activate the call. Appearing in the middle of our bedroom floor is Christian's projected image. He's sitting behind a desk and already dressed in a suit. Behind him is a backdrop of a wondrous snow-covered mountain peering through a vast picture window. The view is absolutely gorgeous. Oh – and the mountain looks really great, too.

Part of me wishes that I were there with him in Zermatt, Switzerland – _especially_ after the day I've had.

"Mrs. Grey, what a beautiful sight to behold. Did I wake you?" he says in that smoky voice that never ceases to make me weak.

"No, I was just reading in bed. What time is it there?" I ask.

"Almost eight in the morning. First workshop starts at nine," he reminds me.

I nod. "So how's everyone enjoying it so far?"

"It's fucking cold here, Ana," he says in a plain voice. I crack up laughing. "Whose idea was it anyway to have the conference here in January? It's the coldest time of the year."

He knows good and well that I was the one who in fact planned this conference from start to finish. "It's the best time to ski there."

"We could've skied in March too when it's not as cold," he counters.

"True, but it's so beautiful there right now," I say airily. I pout my lip to flirt with him just a bit.

"Don't you dare, Anastasia Grey. I am not there in person to retaliate," he says silkily.

Flirting with my husband, I almost forget to tell him the latest news.

"Oh, speaking of _retaliation_ , I had to kick out the film crew. For good. The girls are no longer on the show."

Christian's head tilts back. "What happened?"

I proceed to tell him how the producers used Brie's ex, Jesse Rogers to pit the twins against each other for ratings.

Christian lowers his head and ruffles his silver hair with one hand. "You made the right call. Hell, I'm sorry for putting you in that position in the first place." He then looks back up towards me. "But the twins needed to learn this valuable lesson the hard way. Now they'll understand the next time that we say _'no'_ – we're actually protecting them."

"I mean, it was _brilliant_ – even though I wasn't completely on board with it," I smirk. "However, I'm not happy that the girls are currently on the outs. They aren't even speaking to each other."

I really wish it didn't have to happen this way. It's a shitty way to learn a hard life lesson. But in terms of consequences for the average high school student, thankfully this is the lowest it will probably go for the twins. I dread to think what would've happen if the girls had been eighteen and without the protection of their father and me.

"They'll get over it. They're much too close to remain enemies. Those girls have been two peas in the pod – _literally_ – since before birth."

I smile at the memory of their ultrasounds; how even then they would always hold hands. Even after they were born, you couldn't separate one baby from the other without both of them crying their little heads off. It wasn't until sometime in middle school when Brie and Beth began to have their own identities. It was then when they started to hang out with their own set of friends.

Even so, they'd always return to each other. Brie and Beth was each other's very best friend. They never fought, well at least not against one another. Of course they had their disagreements with their older brother and sister growing up. It's odd remembering those moments seeing that the twins are now the perfect big sisters to Topher.

But I don't know what the hell is going on with them today. Those MTV bastards made the impossible happen. They drove a wedge right in between my two girls.

"Baby?"

Christian's voice yanks me out of my thoughts.

" _Huh_?"

"Get some rest," he orders, grinning.

"Wait, I need to give you a Monday update from the office," I say quickly so that I don't lose him before then.

"We can cover that later. _Sleep_."

"When? Our time zone difference is literally night and day," I remind him.

"I'll call you tomorrow night at eight o'clock – your time," he sweetly promises.

"Christian, that's like _five in the morning_ your time," I remind him.

He nods. "And if it were five in the morning _your_ time, I'd still be awake," he says. I laugh, knowing that my husband isn't one who sleeps like a normal human being.

"Alright then. We'll chat tomorrow," I smile.

"Wait, one favor before you go," he adds. I nod.  
"Take off your top for me. _Please_."

I chuckle. "I love you, Mr. Grey. Goodnight." I beam as I aim the remote towards his hologram.

He snorts and then collects himself, gazing at me lovingly.

"I love you too, Mrs. Grey. Sweet dreams."

* * *

 _Tuesday, January 8, 2036_

 _Ted_

 _I hate that I'm thinking about her first thing._

My mornings for the past couple of weeks have been just like that.  
I have no clue why I've been thinking a lot about Sophie lately.

 _Hell, I'm engaged and will be married in five months._

Almost two weeks ago, I got a call from Gerts telling me that Sophie had won her case and that she was reunited with her son. I'm shocked that neither my lawyer nor myself have been kept abreast on the latest news. Sophie never called me back as promised, and her pro bono attorney hasn't reached out to my attorney – who assisted in building a solid case.

I need a distraction since I don't have a meeting scheduled for another thirty minutes. If I don't keep busy, then I may end up doing something that I'll regret.

 _Like calling Sophie._

So I go to Hanson's office to catch up with him. He's been extremely busy helping my previous boss on a hot project. Marco thinks the world of Larkin and continues to speak highly of his work ethic. I want to tell my friend this as well as let him know that I'm still pulling for him to join my team.

Speaking of team, things are going superbly with Diana. She's been doing a fantastic job as my support manager. I couldn't ask for anyone better.

Now all I need is my best buddy on board.

"Dude, my group's performing so well that I can pretty much ask for anything that what I want," I tell Hanson. "We now have a foolproof check and balance system in place. Nothing goes out unless it's completely signed-off on, even if it's a draft," I snort, hinting at his earlier mishap with PTF.

Hanson straightens his tie as he shakes his head in amusement. "Grey, I appreciate you thinking about me, but I'm enjoying laying low these days."

" _Lay low?_ Why?" I react confused.

"After my bout with PTF… Wait, you know what? That sounded like I had an STD of some kind," Larkin chuckles. I laugh. "That day your father was in here. He was just inches away from my face. He looked like he wanted to flay me with his bare hands," he shudders in remembrance.

"Yeah – I remember," I commiserate.

"I'm just recently getting back over to his good side – _I think_. And I want it to stay that way. Because eventually, I'm going to have to ask his permission to…"

"I'm back, bitches!"

I'm stunned when my sister pops into Hanson's office making a grand entrance. Originally, she planned on coming back to Grey House in May after she graduated from college. However, after the whole situation with Mom and knowing that she'd be returning to work in January, Phoebe began to long to be back at Grey House much sooner. So Hanson helped to make it happen. She's now back on his team.

My little sis is looking rather sharp in her navy dress suit. Excited to see her back working in the building, I rise and give her a big hug. I knew that she'd be back sometime today, but I didn't expect that she'd appear in such badass-ery.

"That, you are," I chuckle before releasing her. Phoebe then saunters over to her boyfriend. They hung tenderly and he bends down to kiss her soundly on the mouth. I start to feel rather uncomfortable watching my best friend suck face with my little sister.

" _Ugh_!" I balk in disgust. She lets go of Hanson and then shoves me hard on the arm. Laughing, I teeter but I don't fall. "Didn't you see him this morning at home?"

"No, he woke up before I did," she sasses.

"You guys want to do lunch?" I ask the two of them.

"Sure," Hanson says.

"Is _um_ – Diana coming?" Phoebe says cautiously. My eyes narrow in confusion.

"Um, _yeah_. She's my fiancée. Do you suddenly have a problem with her? You two got along quite well over the holidays," I remind her.

"The moment she got that support manager job, she started acting weird." It looks like my sister wants to say more, but doesn't.

My thoughts are all over the place now. I mean – Phoebe is standing up for Diana in her bridal party this June, along Diana's little sister whose her maid of honor. It appeared that Phoebe was excited about our engagement and upcoming wedding. So I thought.

 _Why the sudden change of heart?_

Diana actually wanted us to get married late winter or early spring. My parents got married in April, which Diana thought was a perfect time of year to do it since there are too many summer weddings in existence. But the only way our sisters could be a part of the wedding festivities is if it took place after the school semester.

So June it is.

"I don't see what you're talking about," I say to Phoebe.

"Yeah, your girl's been acting brand new these days. She quickly forgot who used to work for _whom_ not too long ago," chimes Hanson. His words completely startle me.

"Like _how_?" I say, concerned.

"She started inflicting these fire-drills on me. She knows that our team doesn't work that way. At least give me three days to turn some of this data around," Larkin laments.

The revelation throws me off. "She's been soliciting your help?"

"Yep," he says simply.

"But we have an analytics team," I say, squinting my eyes.

"Apparently your data guru isn't working fast enough for her. Speaking of _fast enough_ , I don't assume you have this issue with her at home?"

As low of a blow Hanson's jab is, I can't help but to immediately start cracking up laughing, as does Phoebe. Larkin has never been the guy to throw pithy insults just at the right moment in all the years that I've known him. This is pretty monumental.

"I'll have a talk with her. She's never told me that you've been providing data for her. I just assumed that it all came from my team," I tell him in all honesty.

"I figure she didn't want to make a scene with you and your dad since he pulled me from PTF. That's why she probably asked me to keep it quiet." I frown after Hanson's words.

"And since I'm back, she'd better not pull any of that posturing shit on me. I mean, she was the slowest analyst on our team back when we all worked together," Phoebe scowls. Both Hanson and me gape at her. In that instant, she knows that she's said too much. However, she doesn't back down.

Phoebe puffs out a breath. "Come on guys. Why do you think that she was the only one on the team working after seven at night back when we were working on PTF?"

"I didn't know she worked _that_ slow. However, she was always very efficient," Hanson purses his lips and nod.

"That she was. She knew how to spot a mistake in a second, no matter where it was," my sister says, trailing off towards the end of her statement. She now appears to be deep in thought.

" _What_?" I ask.

"Nothing," she says, appearing to have brushed it off.

"Look, why don't you and Phoebe do lunch today," Hanson says to me. "That way, you don't have to invite Diana since I won't be there."

"Good idea," Phoebe says.

It's disheartening that they going through so much trouble in order to avoid hanging out with my fiancée. _What are they seeing that I'm not?_

I frown at my sister. "Look, Diana is going to be family – whether you like it or not. Whatever your differences are, they need to be aired out and cast aside."

"That's all fine and dandy, big bro, but I don't feel like being bothered with the drama today. It's my first day back and I just want to spend it with people that I _actually_ like," she chuckles.

 _What has Diana ever done to her?_

Again, Pheeb is not ceasing to shock me over her newly exposed feelings about Diana. I thought Phoebe _adored_ Diana. They've always seemed to get along whenever we hung out. All of this is brand new information; information that both Hanson and Phoebe have been keeping silent about, until now.

Part of me wonders if Phoebe's return to Grey House and her realization that Diana is now in management has rubbed her the wrong way. The two of them were pretty much at the same level not too long ago.

I don't want to accuse my sister of being jealous of my fiancée, especially not on her first day back.

….

So here I am once again in the land of _Idletown_.

Diana has been in meetings all morning that I would be in myself if I didn't have a support manager. Also, both Hanson and Phoebe are tied up right now. And forget about my mom; she's been impossible to get ahold of since her return to the office after medical leave.

As a result of my idleness, my mind goes back to wondering why Sophie hasn't yet called me with her good news. I've had nearly two weeks to stew over this, and it's not getting any better. So in order to free myself of these tormenting thoughts, I decide to give her a call.

Immediately I'm pushed over to voicemail. I'm taken by surprise. I give her a call again. The same thing happens.

 _Why is she sending me to voicemail? Is she tied up at work?_

I hang up. _Shit. Maybe I should've left her a message so that she doesn't think I'm being all creepy_. So I call her again with the sole intent to leave her a voicemail.  
This time, she picks up.

"Ted?" she answers in a frazzled tone.

"Uh… _hey_. Did I catch you at a bad time?" I say in a most awkward way.

"I have a second. What's up?"

Sophie speaks so nonchalantly. It's as if I should already know that my assistance paid off. Technically she doesn't know that I know that she's won her case. That's because she and/or her lawyer failed to tell me so personally.

Not that I'm bitter or anything.

"I'm just calling to check up on you. It's been awhile since I heard anything," I say, leaving it open ended. At the same time, my ear is trying hard to decipher sounds in the background. I don't know if she's at work at the hotel, or if she's spending time at home with her son.

"I'm at work at the moment," she says succinctly.

"At the Marriott?"

"No, I'm working at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel as a manager trainee."

Holy shit. " _Th_ …that's great," I gasp, chuckling proudly.

"The hours aren't going to be very forgiving until I land tenure. So in the meantime, I can't really do all of the weekend and evening extracurricular activities that I would like to do with my son," she says in an unreadable tone. Something in her voice makes something in me feel on edge. I have no clue what it is.

"So you have your son back? I haven't heard what happened in your case after my attorney met with yours. Did any of that information help?"

"Yeah… _uh_ …." Sophie's words get caught somewhere. I don't know exactly _where_ because nothing really comes out of her.

"I've been wondering why you haven't called me back," I prompt.

I hear her take in a deep, deep breath before she says, "Look, I'm not supposed to be talking to you."

My eyes grow wide and the hairs on the back my neck rise. "Says _who_? Who said you couldn't talk to me?" I say in a tone that I know I should reel in right away if I want any real answers from her.

"I don't want to cause any problems," she speaks in a shaky voice.

I immediately know what's going on here.  
 _Someone threatened her._

"What?! Who's going to cause problems? I can protect you, Sophie. Tell me…was it my father?"

 _If my dad is back to his old tricks again, I swear to God…_

"No," she answers right away.

I can tell that she doesn't want to say anything more, but I'm relentless.  
 _Who in the fuck told her not to reach out to me?_

"Was it your father?"

"I don't speak to my dad."

"Well then…who?"

"I can't say!" she says, now shouting. "Look, I gotta go."

"Don't hang up! I need you to tell me who told you not to talk to me," I order.

She doesn't say anything.

"Sophie! Tell me! I promise, I won't let _anything_ …"

"Why don't you check with your fiancée!" she snaps back.

 _What?!  
_ I am flabbergasted.

"Diana? She reached out to you?" I utter.

"I've gotta go," she says curtly.

"Look, _Sophie_ …"

"Goodbye."

She hangs up. I am completely floored and beside myself.  
I pick up my desk phone with plans to demand an explanation out of Diana.

 _Really?! She actually contacted Sophie and told her to leave me alone?_

I'm _so_ conflicted. I don't know if I should be honored or angry. I feel more of the latter. But as much as I want to believe that Diana had no right to interfere with me helping Sophie – perhaps I'm the one who's off base here.

I'm engaged to be married; yet I'm still helping out my ex-girlfriend, my first love with her personal court battle. A battle that even Sophie herself told me to stay away from at one point.

 _I still don't know how Sophie even won her case._

I call Gerts.

"Yo, Grey," he answers right away.

"Hey, were you able to look into how Sophie won her case?" I say, cutting right to the chase.

"Funny you should ask. I actually got a file late last night that I'm trying to piece together," he starts. "You didn't throw any money at her recently, did you?"

I frown. "No. What kind of money are you talking about?"

"Let's just say that she had enough to ditch her playschool lawyers and land a _real_ one; in fact, one of the best in the country. Her new lawyer raked the Glenns over the coals. Had them crying all the way out of the courtroom by the end of it from what I'm told," Gerts chuckles.

My heart falls into my stomach.

 _No, Diana didn't pay her off. She couldn't have._

Well, it isn't like I have access to all of Diana's accounts. And if I did, she'd be smart enough to cover up her tracks. She's a numbers girl and all. But honestly, I don't see her paying my ex a mint to keep her away from me. Now her telling Sophie to stay away from me is one thing, but paying Sophie off?

No, I don't see the girl that I'm supposed to marry doing anything like that.

I check Diana's calendar to see when she's free. She's booked until after lunch. _Shit._ Quickly, I lock in a thirty-minute block of time on her schedule for this afternoon. This conversation could wait until we get home, but I'm anxious to see what this entire mess is about sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, I task Gerts with checking my fiancée's bank accounts to see if anything lines up with the large sums of money that Sophie received in order to win her case. I also ask Gerts if he can find out why Sophie now has a plush gig at the Olympic instead of at the Marriott.

Gerts' response to my request to dig into my bride-to-be's recent financial transactions was _"Oh shit"_ followed by _"On it"_.

* * *

 _Ana_

I'm hearing from Mrs. Taylor that Brie and Beth are still not speaking to each other this morning. In fact, Sawyer tells me that Brie sat in the front seat with him today on the way to school, which she's never done. The twins have always sat side by side, no matter what.

I've even received a cryptic text from Beth asking if she can start driving herself to school. Christian wouldn't allow it, especially if the girls are going to be subjected to a certain level of notoriety from that reality show. Christian and I really need to get that footage pulled entirely before the show airs.

So I'm not the least bit in the mood when I get a sudden buzz from Lola on the intercom. "Ana, I have Diana here. She wants to know if you have time to meet with her."

 _Why does she want to see me?_ Christian was mentoring her. Usually when she wants something, she deals with either him or Teddy – her fiancé. Curious, I ask Lola to go ahead and send her my way. When Diana enters my office, she's immediately apologetic.

"Ana, I'm terribly sorry for interrupting."

"Have a seat," I say, gesturing to the spot on the other side of my desk. She does.

Diana is wearing an expensive red designer suit, making it _pretty obvious_ that she's no longer a mere data analyst. Granted, she's always dressed very well – but this is rather _extra_. It makes me wonder if she and I have the same personal shopper since I have something very similar in _my_ closet.

"What can I do for you?" I smile.

"I just stopped by to see if you had any time on your schedule this week to meet for about an hour," she says kindly.

"What would you like to meet about?" I ask.

"I understand that Mr. Grey is out this week heading the leadership conference. Normally he and I meet biweekly for our mentor/mentee meetings. But since I haven't seen him in the new year thus far, I was wondering if I could be mentored by you."

I give her a confused look, but she continues. "I would like to pick your brain on some career-related topics. In fact, I'd love to shadow you since I want to eventually mirror your career path," she says without batting an eye.

My eyebrows meet my scalp as I try to process what this girl just said to me. Seriously? Does she think that she can just waltz into my office and demand that I train her to replace me?

 _The nerve of this girl._

Lacking patience – you know, because _menopause_ – I say the first thing that pops into my head.

"Look, I'm just getting my footing back after being gone for _many weeks_ recovering from surgery."

"Ana, I know. I'm _sorr_ …" she says, now looking sympathetic. I'm having none of it.

"I just don't have the time to fit you in."

"I completely understand. I'll see if I can schedule something with Mr. Grey when he returns next week," she assures me.

I tilt my head and look at her sideways. "You're working for Teddy now. Why do you still need to be mentored by his father? Teddy is nearly one spot away from CEO. He's a wealth of information."

Diana appears to be thrown off by my question. Then she begins to twirl her engagement ring with the other hand in plain sight.

"I'd like to know everything there is to know about the business being that I'm going to be a member of this family soon. I need to be prepared in case Teddy and I are asked to step in for you and Mr. Grey. Back when you were in the hospital and Mr. Grey was tending to your health, Teddy was running all over the place. He covered your meetings, Mr. Grey's meetings… _his_ meetings. I wished I had the training at the time in order to help him. I just want to be able to support my future husband in case something like that ever happens again."

Reflexively, I chuckle.

 _Unbelievable.  
_ I wish Teddy were in this room to see what I'm seeing right now. It's indescribable.  
I am now frowning at her.

"Diana, _sweetheart_. You don't have to worry about anything like that ever happening. We won't need you to step in, so please stop losing sleep over this." Her mouth catches as I continue to speak in a condescending tone. "And just so you know, I'm doing quite fine now. Christian is fine. Hey, why don't you just worry about Propel the Future right now – _okay_? That's what your total focus needs to be on."

 _Again, she has some fucking nerve._

She forgets that we have a solid VP in Ros Bailey. We have many other people in line with much more seniority than Diana. Therefore, I don't know where she even gets off thinking that she can step in for _any_ of us. Hell, I'd have Phoebe fill in for me over Diana, and Phoebe hasn't even finished college yet! Phoebe's been with GEH since high school!

Mentally, I check out from Diana. As if she suddenly disappeared into thin air, I swivel my chair around and face my laptop to continue working.

 _Here's to hoping that she catches the hint and leaves._

"I'm so sorry Ana for disturbing you. Thank you so much for your time," she says. Her voice sounds crestfallen.

The moment she leaves my office, I massage my scalp and forehead. Menopause is making me super cranky. I almost feel awful for brushing Diana off like that.

Actually – no, I don't.

* * *

 _Ted_

I sit in my office with Derrick, my IT ace as we review all the footage recorded two days leading up to Hanson's presentation mishap. Right now, we are focusing on Phoebe's former workstation to see if we can find any clues as to how that bad file went to Germany.

And like fucking clockwork, my sister barges into the room. Before I can bitch about Marisol allowing Phoebe to breeze in to my office, realization hits me.

"Fuck, I forgot that we're supposed to be doing lunch," I say to her apologetically.

Instead of snapping at me for meeting with my IT guy when she and I are supposed to be eating, Phoebe's eyes are completely glued to the large screen ahead. Slowly, she comes around my desk in order to get a better look.

"That's my workstation from before," she murmurs. I don't stop her from seeing what's going on. She's going to find out whatever it is anyway. As the video advances, blocks of time quickly elapse as we witness Phoebe on tape standing up from her desk and sitting back down shortly after. These same actions loop in quadruple time.

"Hell, I sure took a lot of bathroom breaks," she giggles.

"Maybe you walked away from your desk to gab with me, like you're doing now," I tease.

She smirks as if she has no shame. "I still get my work done. And it doesn't take me forever like…"

In a moment on tape when Phoebe walks away once more, a totally different female appears at her desk. She's then gone in a flash. "Derrick…bring that back," I gesture with my hand. He does and slows down the playback. The three of us watch what happens. Suddenly, my gut drops to my feet.

 _Well fuck me with a nine iron.  
Yet another thing I need to talk to my fiancée about._

"Oh shit," Phoebe gasps, covering her mouth with both hands. I can see her lips curl from under hear hands. "That bitch," she whispers. Then she starts laughing maniacally.

"That _rotten_ bitch!"

"Wait a second," I say, holding out my hand in instinct. Derrick immediately freezes the frame.

I'm staring at an image of my now fiancée glancing over her shoulder. It's so late at night in that tape. I'm assuming that it's just her, my sister, and maybe one other person present in that entire area. I'm gathering that the third person must've been too occupied to even notice that Diana was fiddling around on Phoebe's computer.

I can't even begin to describe what's going through my head right now.  
First – the situation with Sophie, now – _this_.

I dare not even bring up the fact that I'm currently looking into her possible involvement in curbing Sophie from asking me for my help on her case, along with the possibility that Sophie was paid off to turn me away.

Today's events have definitely put Diana in a very bad light, to say the least.

But still, I need to give her the benefit of the doubt. This can all be a serious misunderstanding. I've known Diana for years. I've trusted her for that same amount of time. Nothing in her character has led me to believe that she is even capable of being so vindictive.

"Theodore Raymond Grey! If you don't call that skank up here **_right now_** and take our great-grandmother's ring back right before you fire her ass – I am going to lose my shit!" she squeals.

 _Jesus._

"Phoebe, calm down," I say, holding both hands up in placation.

"What do you mean, _calm down_?! She almost cost my boyfriend his _job_! Dad was mentoring Hanson first! _She_ made Dad to lose all confidence in him!"

"Dad did _not_ lose confidence…"

"Bullshit!" she cuts me off. "Things have _not_ been the same between Dad and Hanson the second that heifer wiggled her big round booty into this company!" she barks. "Dad was mentoring _you_ and Hanson. Now it's _all about her_! _Her_ and _only her_! And for what?! It was all built on deception! _She_ did this, Teddy!" she growls, angrily pointing at Diana's frozen image on the screen

I'm having an out of body experience right now. I am second-guessing everything.

 _Who's this woman that I've been sleeping with every night?  
I don't even fucking know her. _

" _Why_? Why would she do anything like this?" is all I can muster the energy to say.

"Are you serious right now!" she snaps at me. When she has a hand on each of my shoulders, she looks me square in the eye. " _Think_ , Teddy. _Think_. You graduated from fucking Stanford with _over_ a 4.0. You're probably the smartest person I know." She then takes her hands off me and stands back up.

"And then there's the _penis factor_. You do have one of those." She thumps herself in the head with her palm as if it just dawned on her. "Now I see how you could've missed this," she says in a snarky tone.

"What does that have to do with me not seeing her motivation for sabotaging you?!" I strike back, now frustrated.

"Dumbass, it wasn't about me! She wanted to make Hanson look incompetent!"

"But _why_?! Why would she do that?!" I'm now full out yelling.

"Look – I can come back later. I'll leave you with this," Derrick says nervously.

I nod and he quietly leaves, closing the door behind him. Phoebe quickly follows him and locks the door. I frown but then I straighten up, knowing exactly why she did that. Diana has a habit of just _dropping in_.

"She knew that Hanson had a shot at an executive position. _Now_ look at him. He's exactly where he was before I left, and now _she's_ just two degrees away from reporting to our parents," Phoebe says with disgust.

I lean back and think about what she just said. It _still_ makes no sense whatsoever. "But Hanson can only rise up so far. You know that Dad wants one of his children to run the company. Hanson isn't his son."

"I know that. But he could be a _son-in-law_ ," Phoebe says poignantly.

I shake my head. "Not the same."

"So you don't think the moment that Hanson rises up in the company, he wouldn't take me with him, and vice versa? And you don't think that my name and his could go up on those doors on the 20th floor instead of yours?" She practically looks affronted.

I blink. Those are so many _what-ifs_. Is Diana that calculating? Does she have some sort of flowchart that tests all of these potential scenarios? Does she really want me to run this company so bad so that she can benefit from it in some way?

"Before I make any assumptions, I need you to send Derrick that PDF file that mistakenly went to Germany. Do you still have it?" I ask in a calm voice.

"I sure do. I thought you already had it from before?"

"Forward it again. That file will have a footprint. We'll know if it came from any computer other than yours. We'll also know if the file name was changed from the name of the botched draft, to the _'Weekly Order Intake Report'_. It should take Derrick about ten minutes to figure out. The time of modification should match the time stamp of this video," I say, pointing to the big screen on my wall – still frozen on my fiancée.

Shit, Diana's going to have a _lot_ of explaining to do regardless what the verdict from Derrick is.

"And then you'll fire the bitch, right?" she says with gritted teeth.

"All my ducks have to be in a row. If she's truly at fault, I don't want her to have any wiggle room." I hate that I'm even talking about the woman that I'm supposed to be marrying in this manner. What if she's completely innocent? If so, I'll have a ton of explaining to do. Either way, I'm going to end up upsetting someone at the end of the day – be it Diana or…

"Nail her!"

She quickly winces at her own words. "I mean – _ya know_ …not like ' _nail her'_ nail her…"

"Phoebe, now is _not_ the time," I say in frustration. "Needless to say, I can't do lunch with you today. I'm going to talk to Mom first before I do anything rash."

Phoebe's frown slowly morphs into a menacing grin. "Good. Mom _hates_ her."

I close my eyes and shake my head, lacking the energy to debate with her. "Go and send Derrick the file. Keep this to yourself until we figure this out. Don't even tell Hanson."

" _Really_?" she says, borderline pouting.

"Phoebe – _don't_. Let me handle this, okay? I told you that I'd figure this out and exonerate you and Hanson. As you can imagine, this is a very fucked up position that I've been placed in right now. The girl I asked to marry me could've possibly committed a felony," I explain to her as slow and as plainly as I possibly can.

"Holy shit," she gasps once the realization suddenly hits her.

I nod. "Yeah."

"How?"

"Well, with this incriminating footage that cost you and Hanson your reputations, it has also played a part in the dismissal of a dozen people in Germany. Also, if anyone that Diana knows has any ties with any of the suppliers who could've benefited from this error…"

"Holy shit. You think it runs that deep? Do you think she's working with someone?" my sister gasps with wide eyes and mouth.

"I doubt it, but if our parents wanted to press charges against her, any coincidences could be damaging. There's a lot of residual damage that could happen if Diana is the perp."

"Well, I don't care what happens, Diana Fenkell either better be packing her shit or be already gone by the time I return from lunch," Phoebe snaps as she heads to the door. Suddenly she stops, turns around and looks at me. Slowly her anger morphs into compassion. Obviously she sees how pitiful I look. She gradually makes her way back over to me.

Leaning down, she wraps her arms around me. "Thank you for keeping your promise to look out for Hanson and me. I know that this isn't easy for you. If it's what it looks like, this downright sucks. It sucks _and_ Diana doesn't deserve you." She kisses me on the cheek before she stands and takes one last look at me before leaving.

I feel like the lowest of the low right now. And I'm certainly not looking forward to the next conversation with my mother. For the first time in like _ever_ , I wish that I could speak to my father instead.

* * *

 _Ana_

Teddy has requested an urgent meeting with me. So without asking what it was about, I moved some things around on my schedule so I could fit him in as soon as possible.

If this _urgency_ has anything to do with Diana's meeting with me earlier, and he is only here to have a grievance about how I treated her, then this meeting won't end well at all. I have no problems telling my son exactly how I feel about his _fiancée_.

 _She's a piece of work._

The moment Teddy enters my office, I'm tempted to lighten the conversation by asking him where in the world his baby brother could've learned the word _'thot'_ from. Then I see his face. I see his face and I know that he's practically falling apart.

"Teddy," I rise immediately, go around my desk, and stand by his side. With my arm around his waist, I lead him over to the sofa where we both sit.

Ted begins to spill about being in a huge mess. He then goes on tell me that Diana may not be the woman that he thought she was. I perk up. I have no idea if he knows that she's already plotting on how she's going to decorate my office after she gladly kicks me out of it.

He then commences to tell me that he was checking footage the night before Phoebe emailed that botched file to Germany and saw that Diana covertly did something on Phoebe's computer when no one was looking. I can feel the transfused blood bubbling up in my veins.

"Mom?" he says with deep sadness in his eyes.

"What other proof do you have?" I say, finally snapping out of my trance of fury.

"I just got word that the hidden code on that PDF file has a date that matches the time stamp in the video. So it appears that Diana copied over that file and overwrote the real one. Also, the PowerPoint on the share drive was tampered with. The tampered version of that file is what Dad and team saw during Hanson's pre-read."

"Well, okay then," is all I can say.

"Mom – _I_ , I don't know what to do. I don't understand what's going on. It's like I live with a complete stranger," he says in a tiny voice. I pull my son into my side in an embrace. "She's not the woman I thought she was."

"Teddy, you're not going to like what I'm about to say…"

"Mom, you told me not to rush into marriage with her. I think I know what you're about to say," he says in nervous laughter.

"No you don't. I don't think you're still convinced. The motive doesn't match up to the girl. Look, I'm not judging Diana – even after all you've told me," I preface as I sit up straight and look my son directly in his blue eyes which mirror mine.

"That's not all that went on with her today," he adds.

 _Seriously? There's more?_

In spite of my appalled look, I need to reel this back in. Instead of opening that can of worms, I need to stay on the topic for just a moment.

"Before we go anywhere else, there's something that you need to know. A while back, Diana and I had lunch. This was the time where I told her how your father and I met," I remind him.

Teddy looks at me, confused. "Yeah?" He's anxious to know where this is headed. I nod my head slowly, letting him know to be patient and that I'm indeed going somewhere with this.

"So at one point, I was going on about how Phoebe could be the potential CEO after your father and I retire – _if_ that's what she really wanted. It was at that point that a switch flipped and Diana proceeded to tell me how great of a leader _you_ were."

Teddy gapes at me.

"I was very confused at the time," I continue. "I had no idea why she was trying to sell me on you."

"It all makes sense," he painfully sighs.

"So there's motive," I say, wrapping everything up in a neat little bow.

Now he can fire her, among other things that I'm too thrilled to even think about at the moment.

"So, what else is there?" I prompt.

He blinks. "What?"

"You said that there was something else that happened today," I remind him.

He looks at me, confused. "Did I? I don't remember saying that."

" _Teddy_ ," I say, scolding.

He takes a deep breath and he closes his eyes.

"So look – this can't leave this room," her prefaces. I tilt my head sideways.

Sweet lord, _please_ don't tell me she's pregnant.

My startled look triggers something in him. "Mom, I mean it. You can't tell Dad."

This is bad, whatever it is.

"Fine – I won't tell your father. What's going on?"

The longer he waits to spill, I grow more and more anxious.  
I fear the worse.

 _She is pregnant._

"I've been keeping in touch with Sophie recently."

My jaw drops. "How recently?"

"Since she barged into Grey House back in August of last year looking for me," he says, ashamed. "She needed my help with her custody case."

My eyes are wide like saucers. "Mid-August…that was when I had lunch with Diana," I gasp. "After her spiel about all your achievements, she started asking me about Sophie." His head jerks back in surprise.

"What did she want to know?"

"She wanted to know my take on your relationship with Sophie since she's only heard your side. I pretty much told her that she should just trust what she heard from you. Then she went on to tell me that you and her actually met with Sophie and her fiancé back when she was still pregnant."

"She told you about that?" Teddy says in shock.

I nod. "She pretty much told me that she had your back in that, which I appreciated at the time. She went on to say that she wanted to make certain that Sophie wouldn't try to get back in your life, being that she was your first love. Diana wanted me to reassure her that she was the only girl for you."

His head falls – his chin now touching his chest.

"Teddy?" I call out, lifting up his chin.

"Someone ended up helping her – Sophie. She got a slew of cash in order to win the custody case, along with a cushy new job at a high-end hotel. I'm afraid that Diana may have played a big role in that."

I gasp. "Are you serious?"

"Sophie won't even talk to me anymore. I asked her why and she told me to _'ask my fiancée'_ ," he says bitterly. "I don't even know what happened with her case. I pulled a bunch of data for her and I never got word back to know if it helped."

By now, I am fuming. I can no longer hide my ire for Diana _Fenkell_ – wannabe Diana _Grey_. But as the co-CEO of this company and as Teddy's mother, I need to be rational. No matter how dire things currently look.

"Look, I know that I wasn't a fan of this engagement in the first place. Regardless, we need to maintain a cool head. It's all circumstantial until we have the burden of proof on our side in order to make a sound judgment call."

"That's exactly what I said to Phoebe earlier. But now after talking to you, I think I know exactly what I need to do," Teddy says soberly. And as much as I want him to fire the hell out of this girl right this second and escape this sham of a future marriage, a cooler head prevails.

"Wait. Let's walk this through first – top to bottom," I say standing up. I grab a black dry erase marker and walk over to the nearest easel. "Your father isn't here, so let's build an iron-clad case before we make any major decisions without him. _Okay_?" Teddy nods and we get started.

By the end of the day, my hope is that a thot named ' _Diana'_ will learn to not fuck with any of my children ever again.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So, things aren't looking too hot for Miss Fenkell right now. Up next – Diana meets with Ted in his office. I don't need to tell you what happens next._** **:D**

 ** _Then, Ana continues to deal with the drama of her children while some of her post-op symptoms begin to push her emotions into overdrive. Christian knows exactly what he needs to do in order to make his lady feel better._** **:)**

 ** _Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	20. Chapter 20 - All By Myself

**Chapter 20 – All By Myself**

 _Tuesday, January 8, 2036  
(Continued)_

 _Ted_

Believe it or not, I am not upset.

I'm actually more befuddled than anything. In my head, I am trying to calculate exactly when the Diana that I met at Cosmos exactly four years ago actually left the scene. The girl I saw on the video tampering with my sister's computer, that isn't the same girl from four years ago.

This girl at GEH, the one who sleeps with me at night – I don't know _her_.

When it comes times for my scheduled meeting with Diana, the lump in my chest grows very large. It's not that I'm afraid to confront her. What I dread is her reaction to seeing all of the facts. Will she be defiant and _deny, deny_ – _or_ will she be extremely apologetic, forcing me to feel sorry for her? Either way, Diana and I can't be together any longer. She's fucked this up for good.

Right on schedule, Diana breezes into my office in a fitted fiery red pantsuit. I'm disheartened that such a strong and attractive looking woman won't remain in this light a few minutes from now.

" _Hey_ …" she says right away as heads to sit next to me on the sofa opposite my desk. "Before we get started, I was thinking about your birthday this coming Saturday. I know that your folks are probably going to want to take you out to dinner. But I was hoping that we could take an impromptu trip to Vegas – just the two of us."

I sit there…emotionless. _She has absolutely no clue what's about to happen._ I'm starting to feel sick, but I it fight back. Regardless, she senses my trepidation.

"Oh no – we won't elope or anything," she giggles. "Our parents would kill us if we did that." She studies me once more and realizes that my expression doesn't shift. Her smile falls. "Ted…what's going on?"

 _It's now or never._

"I have something that I need to show you," I start. Reaching out the remote control in my hand, I hit the power button. An image slowly begins to project on the wall straight ahead. The first thing we see is a generic presentation title page featuring the GEH logo. The slide's footer reads _'For Internal Use Only'_.

"What's this?" she asks. "Are we gearing up for another pre-read with your father? The last one went pretty well," she adds, confused.

I go ahead advance to the second slide. This slide only shows a still of Diana with an expression of extreme caution as she occupies Phoebe's former workstation. Diana gapes at the photo as if she just saw a ghost in it.

"This took place on Wednesday, August 29th of last year at 7:13 at night," I state. I sound as procedural as an attorney presenting evidence to a jury in trial. Diana's skin begins turning as red as her suit.

I proceed to the next slide where we now see a PDF screen shot of the Propel the Future analytics draft featuring the botched Stuttgart data. " _This document_ …" I begin.

"Teddy…" she interrupts me in a panic, but I ignore her.

"This document was last updated on Phoebe's computer on August 29th, 7:13 pm. It was saved…"

"Look – I didn't…"

"It was **_saved_** as the _Weekly Order Intake_ report!" I raise my voice over her stammering.

"Let me explain…" she breaks, losing all composure.

What's there to explain?! Either you **did** do a really shitty thing that cost this company millions of dollars and the loss of people's good reputations and/or jobs, or you **didn't**!

I snap.

"Your assigned territory at the time was southeast Asia! **_Not_** Germany! Why did you tamper with Germany's data?!" I yell at her.

She is full on sobbing at this point. " _I_ …I don't know! I didn't mean for any of this to happen! I didn't want Phoebe to leave Grey House or Hanson to get in trouble! I had _no clue_ that your father was going to schedule a pre-read! I had no idea that Germany was going to ignore the error and cut POs based on that report!"

"So why did you do it?!" I shout.

"I don't know! It was _so stupid_!" she cries, quivering.

I know that she wants to lean against me, so I scoot further away from her.

"So why didn't you admit to me that you did it?" I ask the burning question.

"I was _scared_! I didn't want to admit that my dumb actions almost cost this company fifty million dollars!"

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck…_

I feel like ramming my fist into a wall right now. Suddenly, another pressing issue pops into my head. Before I can shift the topic, Diana babbles on. "I was upset! Upset that Hanson and Phoebe were getting all of the props that _you_ should've been getting!"

My head falls back in utter disgust. She then reaches for my face and forces me to look at her. "Look at us now," she says, fighting to remain calm and composed, but losing severely. "You and I make a great team. Just like your parents. Hanson didn't get fired. Phoebe is back. And you are the _third_ most powerful person in all of GEH. It's all because of my _stupid plan_. What I did was terrible – yes, I won't deny that. But let's be honest…didn't everything work out in the end?"

 _I don't fucking believe her._

I want to yank her by the arm right now and toss her out on her ass. But first we need to address one other question. "What about Sophie? Did you tell her not to contact me anymore?" Diana expression hardens through the tears.

"Look Teddy, I _love_ you. I'll do absolutely anything for you. That girl was trying her best to weasel her way back into your life with her pitiful sob story…"

 _Pitiful sob story?!  
_ Her kid got taken away from her!

"You had no right to tell her not to contact me!" I bark, shrugging my face away from her hold. My reaction startles her.

"And was it right for you to sneak behind my back and help your ex?! Your _first love_?!" she cries out.

I calm myself down a bit in order to clearly state my next question.  
"What did you say to her?"

Diana throws her head back in despair. After she swallows, he eyes fall back on me. "I told her to not reach out to you or I would be forced to tell her father _and_ yours about what's been going on."

I gape at her. "Are you fucking serious?!"

"I told you to stop helping her!" she rages. "You wouldn't listen!"

Ignoring her, I continue the interrogation. "Did you pay her legal fees?!"

"No, I didn't!" she asserts. I search her face for the tiny bit of honesty that may be left.

 _If Diana didn't pay for it,_ _ **someone**_ _fucking did._

I'm completely done at this point and ready to hand out her sentence. I take several deep breaths in preparation.

"Teddy…" she whimpers.

"Although your intent may have not been malice, your recent actions have impacted _three_ other individuals that I care about – not to mention the countless budgets and jobs you've affected."

"I'm _so_ sorry… _I_ …"

"Your transgressions were selfish, and the same selfish attitude continues even after the fact."

" _I didn't mean…_ "

"I don't care that things may have worked out in the end. Well, in your eyes anyway."

"Ted, don't do this…"

"The fact remains that you were deceitful from the very start and you continue to function in a way that – _quite frankly_ makes you _extremely_ undeserving to wear the ring that once belonged to my kind, late great grandmother." After I say the words, I hold out my hand to her.

Diana looks horror-struck. "No Teddy! **Please** … ** _don't_**!"

I wiggle my extended hand, emphasizing that I am dead set on this. Diana slides off the sofa and falls to her knees crying. It's disheartening to see, because the Diana Fenkell I met at Cosmos wouldn't have been in this predicament. _That_ Diana was brutally honest, so sincere, and extremely confident.

This girl on the floor is pitiful and it's breaking my heart to see her this way. Part of me wants to pick her up and bring her back to where she once was before. Obviously she lost herself somewhere along the way. I just want to reach out my hand to her and…

 _Don't you dare fall for it, Grey! Fucking stand firm!_

No. Diana made her bed.  
Now she must lie in it.

"No – _I_ …I want to keep it," she whines. "I love you so much, Ted! _Please!_ "

She's no better than Cheerleader Rebecca right now. I've definitely kissed-off girls like her before.

"That ring belonged to my great-grandmother, Diana," I answer sharply.

Without saying anything more, I put out my hand again, emphasizing non-verbally that she needs to take the off fucking ring and give it back. With shaky hands, she eventually slides off the ring and sobs when she balls it up into my hand. I quickly snatch it out of sight.

"Thank you," I murmur. Her sniffling and crying intensifies.

 _End this now, Grey._

"Needless to say, our engagement is officially over. You have one week to remove all of your things from the penthouse," I tell her. She starts to sob hysterically. I pay it no mind as I continue on to the next line of business.

 _The business of ending us._

"Now lets discuss the matter of your employment." I wait until she calms down and her eyes are looking back up at me. I want there to be _no mistake_ in her hearing for what I have to say next.

"On behalf of Christian Grey, Anastasia Grey, Hanson Larkin and myself, we will no longer require your services here at Grey Enterprises Holdings starting _now_. You will _not_ be allowed to gather your things in your office. Instead, security will box up and ship all of your belongings to the address of your choosing. You will _not_ be eligible for rehire at Grey Enterprises Holdings, Incorporated… _or_ any of its affiliates globally."

As she grovels on the floor and clamors for my feet, I promptly stand and walk over to my desk to activate the intercom. " _Ready_ ," I chirp before removing my finger from the trigger. In seconds flat, two burly security officers barge into my office.

"No!" Diana cries out to me. " _Please!_ We need to talk!"

"Be discrete," I calmly order the men. "Make sure to use the service elevators." They both nod in concurrence before reaching down to retrieve Diana from the floor.

"Teddy!" she screeches. "Don't do this!"

"Consider yourself _very_ lucky that we won't be pressing any criminal charges against you," I lob at her.

" _What?!_ " she gawks at me with disbelief.

"Your ill conceived actions still cost this company millions of dollars, along with the loss of several jobs in Germany. I sincerely hope that you will learn something from this moving forward."

"Good day, Miss Fenkell," I say to her in a frosty farewell.

….

Ten minutes later, I sit stunned silent behind my desk. Marisol rushed in here the second Diana left kicking and screaming. I told Marisol that I needed some time alone and she immediately understood.

More than anything else, I feel much worse for firing Diana than I do about breaking up with her. Strange, I know. But she was a fantastic support manager.

 _What in the hell am I going to do now?_

And the fact remains that _someone_ paid for Sophie's legal costs. Diana swears it wasn't her, and Gert's non-findings so far back up that claim. He hasn't located any unusual cash flow taking place in any of Diana's accounts. _Perhaps she's telling the truth._

But Diana did threaten Sophie by telling her that she would disclose her legal matters to both her father and mine. I idly wonder what would my father have done about it. Sophie's no longer in my life, so I'm not sure how that would've made him any difference. Well, except if Diana told my father that Sophie was trying to insert herself back into my life – which is a lie.

And what about Taylor? Why hasn't _he_ been keeping tabs on his daughter? All of her legal troubles would have been resolved a long time ago had he been as stubborn as his boss – my father, and pulled some strings in the background. Yeah, I know that Sophie refuses to speak to him, but even _that_ wouldn't have stopped someone like my father.

I'm really beginning to see Taylor in a not-so-positive light.

 _Sophie is his only child for fuck's sake._

I want to call her now and tell her that it's okay for her to talk to me.  
' _By the way,_ _I no longer have a fiancée.'_

But it's the fresh devastating fact of suddenly being on my own – _and_ losing my best friend of four years – that stops me from dialing Sophie's number. _Well, that and…_

"Hey – quit sulking and get off your ass, Grey," Phoebe bleeps, snatching me out of my funk. "She's _definitely_ not worth it."

"Marisol let you in here?" I question, tilting my head sideways.

"She's the one who called me up here." I blink at her, perplexed. "So, Hanson's letting you borrow me long term," she announces.

"Huh?" I squint.

"You need someone to help you until you replace _Dumb-ana_. So for now, I'm all yours. Well, except during the times when I have class. _Which_ you won't have to worry about after April," she said excitedly. I can tell that she's very much looking forward to being done with school and working here full-time.

"Phoebe, it's fine. I'm having all of Diana's files brought up here shortly. I'll figure out what things she left hanging."

She frowns. "Hey Einstein, what has Dad always said to us? _Two heads are better than one._ Look, you don't have to give me the title – _or_ the pay for that matter. In fact, I don't want it. I only want to help you," she says with compassionate eyes.

I close my eyes and sigh in defeat.

 _Little sisters are brutal._

* * *

 _Ana_

"You sure you don't want to come up to my office and talk about it?" I implore Teddy over the phone.

"Yeah," he replies, dejected.

My heart truly aches for my oldest. No matter how much I despise Diana Fenkell for what she did to Phoebe and Hanson, I'm more hurt than angry for Teddy's sake. He's not taking the breakup so well, as to be expected.

"Your father's heading home now from the Swiss Alps," I tell him.

" _Really_? He just got there."

"I know. The moment I told him everything, he insisted on coming home right away."

"So who's running the leadership summit in his place?"

"Ros."

Shortly, I let Ted get back to work. I know that he's going to be pulling crazy hours to clean up the mess than Diana left behind. I offered to stay late with him and help sort it out, but he wouldn't allow it. He assured me that he and his sister had a handle on things.

The sad fact is I'll be leaving one mess at work for another at home. The twins are still not getting along. But that's not all. I just got the _okay_ from my doctor an hour ago to, in her words – _begin enjoying your husband again to the fullest_. I wasn't as excited by the news as I had hoped. In fact, I'm debating on whether or not to even bring it up to Christian at all. But surely if he asks about it, I won't lie to him.

* * *

 _Wednesday, January 9, 2036_

Christian, the twins, Topher and myself are having dinner.

"Daddy – how was Switzerland?" Brie inquirers.

"Cold," he grumbles.

She giggles. "I know _that_ , but did you get to ski?"

"Actually, no – I didn't. I was planning on doing that today, but I had to get back home."

"You rushed home because of Teddy and Diana?" Beth interjects from across the table. _The twins are still not sitting together._ Brie huffs, puffs, and smacks her lips in irritation. I close my eyes and shake my head, heavily disappointment.

How long is this household going to have to endure the twin's civil war?

"Yes," Christian replies to Beth.

"Diana did some very bad stuff. I would fire her too if I was the big boss," Topher chimes in. He then shifts to me. "She was nice. Why did she do bad things?"

I lean over to my baby boy and pat his back. "Honey, sometimes good people just do really bad things," I explain in his terms. "I'm certain that she's very sorry and wishes that she hadn't done what she did."

"Did she say she was sorry? Will Teddy forgive her?" Topher squeaks in the most adorable little voice.

"Sweetie, that's entirely up to Teddy," I say diplomatically.

And I will personally thrash my oldest child if he ever takes that girl back.

"I'd _never_ forgive her if I were Teddy," Brie says with a sharp tongue. But somehow, her words pertaining to her big brother and his ex-girlfriend carry an entirely different meaning. I glance over to Beth who looks crestfallen. Christian is obviously on the same wavelength as me.

"Girls, that's enough," he says, putting his foot down. "The two of you better nip _whatever this is_ in the bud right now. No more fighting. Am I clear?" He scans the twins heavy-handedly. Agitated, Brie springs up from her chair and storms off.

"Brianna! Come back here this instant!" he shouts after her, but to no avail.

Beth starts to cry. "I'm _so sorry_ for all of this! I wish we _never_ did that _stupid show_!"

Slowly, a smug satisfied grin begins to take over Christian's face. I glare at him with the extreme urge to kick him hard in the shins. _This isn't the time to be right, Grey._ Remembering himself, he quickly wipes the grin away. I stand from my chair and walk over to embrace Beth.

"Sweetheart, I'll keep talking to your sister. Just give her a little more time," I coo before kissing her on the forehead.

"I don't understand why she's still mad at me! It was a mistake! I'm not even speaking to Jesse anymore!" she wails. I guide her head against my shoulder and pat her silky hair repeatedly to calm her. _There…there, sweetie._ Christian continues to bark on about the girls fighting, but I focus all of my energy and attention to comfort and encourage Beth.

"Honey – it's going to be okay," I whisper. I feel her arms tighten around me, holding on to me for dear life.

Once she relaxes, I return to my chair just in time for Mrs. Taylor to serve dessert. Out of nowhere my thoughts begin to wallow over my _lack of a sex drive_. I still haven't told Christian about the word that I received yesterday.

 _"Mrs. Grey, I have wonderful news for you.  
Starting tonight, you can begin enjoying your husband again to the fullest!"_

 _Meh._ I really don't want to disappoint Christian, but I haven't been feeling very _sexual_ these days.

* * *

 _Saturday, January 12, 2036_

 _Ted_

So, it's my birthday.

It's my birthday, and I want to hide from absolutely everyone. I'd rather be locked up in my office at Grey House doing work. Since waking up from the pitiful amount of sleep that I _did_ get, I've been avoiding my cellphone like the plague. I know that everyone's going to want to do _something_ with me today.

 _I don't want to go out and I don't want to stay home._

This big ass apartment only serves as a shitty reminder that I am _really_ single now. Even though this place has been in my family even before I was born, Diana and I would eventually move here to start a life together. She and I have made so many memories in this space. Today, she is no longer here.

 _Fuck it, I'm leaving and going in to work._

At one o'clock, I exit the elevator into the underground parking garage. As I approach my parked car, I witness a young couple running after me.

 _Shit, it's Hanson and Phoebe._

"Where do you think you're going, young man?" Hanson chuckles after catching up to me.

"Yeah, Mom and Dad have been calling you like _crazy_! We all want to take you out for your 23rd birthday," Phoebe adds.

 _Twenty-three._ I'm twenty-three years old and I'm not anywhere I hoped I'd be by this time of my life. Today, I'm fiancée-less and still slaving away at my parents' company. My life's been a cruel joke.

"I've got tons of work to catch up on. I no longer have a support manager," I resentfully remind the two of them.

"She sucked royally anyway," Phoebe bites. "Look, I have everything under control. There's nothing else for you to do until Monday, so stop moping around and come with us."

" _Pheeb_ …" I sigh in great frustration.

"Dude, we're not letting you go to work on a Saturday – much less, on your birthday," Hanson interjects. "Look, let's go have a drink first. Then we'll meet your parents for dinner and drink some more. Later, we'll ditch the folks and drink _even more_ back at your place."

 _Dammit, Larkin._  
I close my eyes in sheer helplessness.  
 _That really sounds great right about now._

"I'll let you boys have at it. I'm still _under 21_ for two more months," Phoebe says wistfully.

" _Wait_ – I've seen you drink before," I smirk.

"But Mom and Dad don't know and they'll suspect something if I'm hanging out with you two jokers on a Saturday night," she volleys. "You guys go ahead and have fun. Just don't invite that asshole Carlos Montague to the party. He'll bring whores."

Hanson and I crack up laughing.

"Yeah dude, don't tell Monty where we're hanging out tonight after dinner," Hanson pleads.

"I don't quite feel like ' _Monty-ing'_ today, anyway," I say, exhausted by the mere thought.

….

"Son – slow down," my father murmurs next to me, placing a hand over my wine glass in a stern warning. No one else catches the moment since they are all talking and laughing around us.

 _I've only had two glasses with dinner, Dad.  
Later, I plan on drinking way more than that._

 _Hell, I've already started off the afternoon with two vodka tonics and a sea breeze at the bar with Phoebe and Hanson._

My parents, all three of my sisters, Hanson, and my baby brother are gathered at _The Mile High Club_ on top of the Columbia Tower to celebrate my birthday. And although everyone's laughing and chattering, I still don't feel like celebrating.

 _Diana had planned for us to go to Vegas this weekend._

I shake away the depressing thought. Even though what she did to Phoebe and Hanson was rather shitty, I can't help that I still care for her. For four years, this girl has been one of my very best friends. It's hard to just let that go.

I glance over at my sister Beth and she looks just as miserable as I am. She's unenthusiastically playing _slapsies_ with Topher. "I won!" he shouts out in glee. Beth is usually very good at this game. Either she's letting Topher win _or_ she doesn't care.

Sitting a distance away from Beth is Brie, who's currently chatting away with Phoebe and Hanson. I'm positioned close to my parents, moping like the miserable flop that I am. I turn to my mother and even _she_ doesn't look like herself. She stares mindlessly at the breadbasket in the center of the table.

In fact, Mom hasn't quite been herself since coming home from her surgery late last year. And she hasn't genuinely smiled in quite some time. Scratch that – she _did_ fight back a big ass grin the day that I dumped Diana.

 _And now we're back to Diana._

My mother blinks at me after catching herself. "Your Uncle Elliot and Aunt Kate wanted to be here but their flight from Mexico got delayed," she says.

"That's fine," I brush off. I didn't want to make my birthday a big deal anyway.  
I fucking hate this.

"Your grandparents would like to take you out for dinner tomorrow," my father compounds. "They had a charity dinner tonight that they couldn't get out of."

"They don't have to do that. Besides, I have tons of work to catch up on," I reply.

"Your sister told me that she's gotten you mostly caught up," my father counters.

"There's the January budget reconciliation," I remind my father. " _I_ need to initiate that."

"Teddy, it can wait until Monday," my mother says firmly.

I know not to argue with her, especially since she's been unhinged as of late. My mother's even scarier than my father these days. Grandma Carla says that it's her crashing hormones. _Thank God I'm not a female._

"Is everyone ready for cake?" Mom calls out to the table. She's zombie-like when she says it. It's utterly depressing.

"Mrs. Grey, why don't we hold off for a few and allow dinner to settle," my father says quietly to her. "Besides, I'd like to have a little chat with the man of the hour first."

 **Fuck me.**

Not another one of his _'man up'_ talks.  
It's _my_ fucking birthday and I don't want to hear any of it.

My mother nods and he stands. "Son, let's take a walk," he orders. I close my eyes, peeved, but I immediately tag along. I look back at the table and catch the telling glances of each of my siblings and Hanson.

 _"Man, don't sweat it. I bet it's not even that big of a deal." – Hanson_

 _"Holy hell – I want all of the juicy deets when you get back." – Phoebe_

 _"Ooooh, what did you do this time!" – Brie_

 _"Just don't let him see you cry. Dad feeds off of human tears." – Beth_

 _"Topher Grey wants cake now." – Topher_

….

My father leads me back to the executive office. It's the first time I've ever been in here. Normally when I come to the club, I'm having a meal with my family. _I even brought Diana here for dinner a few times._

Ted, stop thinking about her.

It's no wonder that I often forget that my parents own the joint. My father has a lady who runs it since the service industry isn't where his true passion lies. The thought immediately takes me to Sophie, another ex. The service industry was _her_ passion.

 _Diana this.  
Sophie that. _

_Fuck._

I stand facing the picture window behind the oak desk. My father stands right beside me. The office has a fantastic view of the city. It's just as breathtaking as my view from the penthouse at Escala.

It's a view that I once shared with my fiancée.  
Now I must learn to enjoy the gorgeous backdrop alone.  
 _All alone._

 _Allll byyyyy myyyy selllll…_

"Ted, you look absolutely miserable," my father starts.

His words are unexpected, so I chuckle for the very first time tonight.  
"You think?" I say facetiously.

He places a hand on my shoulder. "I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you that I am partially to blame. I was the one who encouraged you to marry her."

All right everyone, mark the date: _Saturday, January 12_ _th_ _in the year of our Lord._

My father just admitted to being at fault for something. I've never heard him say these words or anything similar to them – _ever_. Even when he rushed home after finding out about me firing and breaking up with Diana for sabotaging Phoebe and Hanson, my dad still didn't take the blame for anything.

Now, he's doing just that.

I stand in stunned silence. I can feel my father's eyes on my face, waiting for me to say something. However, I can't find a single thought to focus on. My mind is all over the place.

"I know that there's nothing I can say or do to make you feel better," he says, breaking the stalemate. "It's your birthday and it sucks that you're so unhappy."

I close my eyes in agony and take in a series of slow, calming breathes.

"She completely changed when she came to GEH," I say finally. I turn from the view and look to my father, whose eyes are already on me. "The Diana I met at Amazon wouldn't have done that. I don't know what got into her." I take a palm to my forehead, glide it upwards to my hair, and tug.

My father squeezes my shoulder. "I didn't peg her as the type to do something so malicious, either. I do understand her motivation. But if she were smarter, she would've just sat back and watched your progression up the company ladder happen organically."

I wince at his words.

"What?" he says, confused by my reaction. "You already knew that I've been slowly grooming you to take over."

I briefly close my eyes. Yes, I've always known that this was my father's ultimate goal. _So what's the problem?_ Maybe it's just hearing him say the clear-cut words instead of talking around in circles – as he's done for most of my life.

"I just figured that you were prepping Hanson," I smile. He doesn't smile back.

"What in the world gave you that idea?" he frowns.

"Four years ago when you first started mentoring him. You changed his life. He actually quit baseball for GEH. No one's more passionate about the company than he is."

"But he doesn't have this," he says, tapping a finger against my forehead.

"Hanson is a brilliant data guy," I argue. "He could take GEH really far if he were trained for it."

"I'm not looking for a _data guy_. I need someone who can do it all." He blinks as if he's just realizing something. "Why are you advocating for Larkin anyway? Besides, he's not my son. _You_ are. Your mother and I want to pass the company down to our next generation. We desire to keep GEH in the family."

"And I get that. But are you totally forgetting about Phoebe?" I snort. "Look, she's the one who's _master of everything_. You saw how she got up and took charge after I let Diana go."

My father gives me a stern look. "Ted, what's _really_ going on here? Why are you just tossing out names? Look, you're the one whose next in line – like it or not. If you don't want to be, just say so."

I hear the words, but I don't believe it's _that simple_. I know the moment I tell him that I'm not looking to run the company once he and Mom retires, he's _not_ going to like it. I huff in frustration. "Dad – I'm not in the right frame of mind. I'm just coming off of a shitty breakup. I still have lots of things to sort out."

"Son, I get it. Honest…I do. Look, your mother and I aren't going anywhere anytime soon. This isn't something that we need to hash out today. Besides – I brought you back here to cheer you up."

He smiles as he places a hand into his pocket. When he takes it back out, he extends his now balled-up hand towards me.

"Here," he says. I stretch out my hand towards him and watch as he drops a key fob into my palm. The moment I realize what it is, my eyeballs nearly spring out of my skull.

"A Bugatti?!"

He grins and nods proudly.  
"Happy birthday, son."

" _Wha_ …what color?" I stammer.

"Black with neon blue trim. She's sexy as hell – and _very_ fast. Just don't tell your mother quite yet. She doesn't know that I purchased you one of the fastest luxury sports cars in the entire world. Make sure you take her out to the Schumacher racetrack. They'll welcome you there any time, with open arms."

"Holy shit!" I gasp, letting out a thrilled chuckle.

"You've had quite the year already, and it's only January. You may have hit a bump in the road, but I have no doubt that you will rebound and be stronger from this. Always remember that your family's here for you. If you ever need to talk – about _anything_ …"

"I know, Dad. Really…I appreciate it."

I feel kind of bad about being this excited about a car, when I was _just_ sulking over my ex-fiancée. "Hey, do you wanna hit the track with me next Saturday?" I ask on a whim.

"I'm free tomorrow morning. Why not then?" he says, puzzled.

" _Well_ …to be honest, I plan on drinking a lot tonight at home with Hanson," I fess. "I'm sure I'll be way too…"

"You know that I don't condone drinking yourself into a stupor," my father responds with his token strict glare.

Dad has always believed in drinking, but not in getting drunk.  
 _But what's the fun in that?_

"I know," I acquiesce.

"But this occasion calls for it. It's your birthday after all, and you need to lick some wounds." His response nearly stops my heart. _Dad? Is that you?_ "Just stay home and be careful. No driving, either of you," he orders.

"Of course," I reassure him.

"And don't drunk dial your ex. That never ends well," he warns playfully.

 _Which ex?_

I suddenly feel a pang in my chest that I quickly brush off. I chuckle at my father before embracing and thanking him profusely for such a badass birthday gift.

* * *

 _Ana_

After we arrive home after Teddy's birthday dinner, I practically lock myself up in the master bathroom.

All evening at the club I watched attractive young mothers, both pregnant and carrying their small babies in their arms. _All_ with wombs still in tact. Somehow I feel _less than_ a woman. _Has my uterus always defined me?_

Just last week before Kate left with Elliot for Mexico, she and I had a couple of drinks one evening. Then she accused me of being the ultimate killjoy.

 _"I don't mean to be insensitive – but look at your life!  
You are the luckiest woman that I know."_

 _"I know, but I can't help feeling this way.  
It's so stupid!"_

 _"Yeah…it's dumb. You have_ _ **five**_ _kids, Ana._ _ **Five!**_ _  
Why do you still feel so empty?"_

 _"I don't know. Maybe I was supposed to have six or something."_

 _Kate snorts. "Six children?! You've gotta be fucking kidding me."_

The very premise sounds just as ridiculous now as it did back then. After that, Kate practically begged me to see a doctor that specializes in menopause.

 _"I still don't believe that your hormone levels are up to par," she said._

I've done so much reading on menopause. What I'm going through is absolutely normal. Now the question remains – _how long will I have to suffer_?

Just yesterday at work, Christian and I met with our executive staff. In the past, Christian would take the time to flirt discretely with me. We would play footsies or sensually touch one other under the table without getting caught.

But in that moment, I realized that those days between us are now over. Christian was completely focused on the meeting. I tried to convince myself that it was because our son was now in our midst, but that didn't stop me from feeling old and unattractive.

 _Not even a hot text message, Grey?_

After the meeting, I cried my eyes out in my office. I eventually picked myself up long enough to reach out to a menopause practitioner who's certified by The North American Menopause Society – or _NAMS_. She was extremely helpful and scheduled me in for next Thursday.

….

I finally break away from the bathroom and go to bed. I lay alone for over an hour. Again, I talk myself off the ledge. Christian always works late in his study. But for some reason, I can't help but think that he is trying his best not to be anywhere near me.

 _He's probably not even attracted to me anymore._ I knew deep down inside that this moment would happen some day. Christian has always been passionate with me, and it all seemed too good to be true. I had no doubt that some day he would finally wake up and realize that he, Christian Grey – one of the world's most richest and sexiest men could have any woman he wants.

Perhaps he'll leave me for a much younger woman. _Hey, Diana Fenkell's back on the market again._ My eyelids tightly shut and I start to feel an ache deep in my belly, un-related to my hysterectomy.

On the verge of tears, I try to think about something else. _I wonder what Teddy and Hanson are up to tonight. I seriously hope that my son doesn't do anything foolish._ Although my thoughts are now on my son, my overbearing depression still has me by the throat. So much so, that I don't realize it when Christian's finally in bed with me.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

He pulls me into his side and forces me to look back at him when I try to shy away. He lifts up my chin. I can feel his breath on my face. I finally look at him.

"Talk to me," he says. "You've been holding back. I need you to open up."

The moment his words resonate, I start to cry. "Ana, _don't_ ," he coos. "Don't cry. Talk to me." He carefully peels away from me and slides across the bed to retrieve a tissue. When he returns, he pulls me back into him once more and daubs away my tears until I calm down a bit. I intercept the tissue from him and pat my nose with it.

" _I_ …I just don't feel like _me_ anymore," I confess.

"What do you mean?" he says with concern etched on his strong, handsome face.

"I know we were done after Topher. Hell, I thought that I was done before then. But now that there's absolutely no turning back…" I can't find a nicer way to say it. "…I feel _old_. Old and haggard."

Christian gapes at me as if I just punted a little puppy into a ravine.

"Bunny, how can you say that?" He squeezes me tightly against him.

"It's just how I feel," I say with tightened lips and shrugged shoulders. He plants three lingering kisses on my cheek.

"But _old and haggard_? Nothing else is further from the truth. You are like a fine wine, Mrs. Grey. You are even more beautiful today than you were the day I met you," he wholeheartedly declares in a soothing, comforting voice.

"I don't feel that way," I say in shame. I try to hang my head down, but Christian lifts it back up by my chin once again.

"Anastasia – I've been trying for decades to get you to see yourself the way that I see you."

I sigh. "I know, but this is different. I absolutely can't have any more children now. I don't have a womb anymore."

Christian's eyes narrow at my words. "We have _five_ fantastic kids, Ana. You've done better than good. Now let's focus on getting these last three out so we can focus back on us." He loving caresses my hair.

I think way back to before Teddy was born. Christian was always adamant about having me to himself and not sharing me with others. Once our first child was born, that all changed. However, I vowed not only to be a good mother, but an exceptional wife.

Regardless of how many children we had running around the house, at the end of the day I would always take time out for my husband. When the youngest child at the time was old enough for us to comfortably leave them for the weekend, Christian and I would take two days away and recharge. That was always important to us.

However, recharging usually involved all sorts of kinky fuckery. Since my surgery, I haven't felt the same. I want to give my husband everything, but it's hard to do that when you feel like you're no longer a woman. The thought is disheartening.

"Christian. _I_ …I don't feel…"

 _Fuck it, Ana – just come out and say it.  
This is Christian you're talking to. _

"I don't feel… _insatiable_ anymore."

A twinkle forms in his eyes. "You may think that's a detriment, but I consider it to be a challenge. I will pull it back out of you, Mrs. Grey. You know I can."

His hands begin caressing my back intensely. He kisses my temple. However, the dark cloud still remains. There's no tingle going up my spine, which always happens when Christian touches me. Hell, even when he's just _present_ – with me or just in my thoughts, my body used to _always_ react. Now that feeling is gone, so I cry.

Christian wraps his arms around me once again. "Bunny, please. Tell me what I need to do." I can hear the desperation in his voice as I try to dry my brand new tears with the soggy tissue still balled up in my hand.

"I don't know if there's anything you can do," I tremor through the sobs.

"I don't believe that," he says stubbornly.

"Part of me feels that if I just slipped away in that hospital last year, you wouldn't have to put up with me being like this."

 _Holy shit._

The ill words just come tumbling out of me. I can feel Christian's body beginning to stiffen. His helpless, compassionate gray eyes quickly ignite and rage. He's livid.

"Anastasia! Don't you dare!"

"If you ever wanted to leave – honest, I wouldn't even be mad at you," I pout. "There are so many young, beautiful women out there that could give you exactly what you need…"

Christian startles me by jerking my entire body. He then glares down at me. "Stop it! You are the love of my life! Why are you spewing such bullshit?!" he growls through gritted teeth.

I honestly don't know why I'm saying this, much less thinking it. I cry even harder and Christian's anger washes partly away. He then sits the two of us up and starts to rock me in his arms.

"There will never be another for me, Ana. I don't care how you may feel at the moment. Please, get those sick thoughts out of your head. When I said that you and me were forever, I fucking meant it."

I take in a deep, calming breath – yet my tears continue to fall. Christian's arms fall away and he removes his t-shirt. Soon, the fabric is padded all around my face.

"It's you and me, Mrs. Grey. _Forever_. I don't care if you never want to make love to me ever again. You have given me so much these past twenty-five years that I can still feast on until my last day."

His words do reach me. I desperately want to believe him, but I don't think that a man can function without the physical affection of his wife.

I seriously hope that this specialist can help me.

* * *

 _Friday, February 1, 2036  
(nearly two weeks later)_

I lie awake in bed with a steady smile on my face.

I've been on a revised hormone replacement therapy for about a week and a half thanks to my new specialist. Thankfully, things have taken a turn for the better.

A week ago during a weekend trip alone to our place in Aspen, Christian showed me repeatedly how I was ' _all the woman that he needed'_. I felt like I was twenty-two years old all over again.

 _I finally have my life back._  
The very thought is exhilarating.

Every time I ponder on the length of time it took me to finally seek the proper help with my physical and emotional issues, I cringe. All of that precious time – _wasted._ But it doesn't take long for me to stop pitying over lost time once Christian joins me in bed. I giggle when his hands eagerly start to touch me all over.

"Mrs. Grey, I still adore that sound," he purrs.

"I know," I flirt back. His lips find my throat and he kisses it all over as his hands gently caress my body through my silky nightgown.

He stops and then looks down at me with a passionate stare. "Please tell me that you don't have any panties on." I bite my lip in an attempt to hide my mischievous grin. I then shake my head in a naughty response.

" _Yes_ ," he quietly cheers.

His lips quickly devour mine and I am soon reaching for his t-shirt to remove it. My gown joins his t-shirt on the floor, as does his pajama pants and boxers. Eventually we're both completely naked, thoroughly enjoying one another as we have for _many_ , many years.

 _I'm so grateful that all's well with the world again._

Christian's mouth is all over me as I throw my head back in delight. While he kisses my breasts, I sensually suck on each one of his fingers on his left hand. I arrive to his ring finger, still occupied, and I suck on it for the longest time. He moans.

I can't recall him _not_ ever wearing his wedding band. Ever since that sunny spring day just outside of this house in 2012 – when I first slipped it onto this finger, I don't think that I've ever seen him take it off. Hell, even _I_ take off my engagement ring and band every night. Still, Christian proudly wearing his shiny platinum band remains to be one of the sexiest things about him. Even after all these years, he wants everyone to know who he belongs to.

 _Me._

I laugh to myself thinking back on the times Elliot would tease Christian whenever the two of them hung out on _guys' night_. Elliot said that Christian would practically mash his ring finger in the faces of all the desperate women at the bar who refused to take _no_ for an answer. In fact, this happened again very recently – even while I withdrew from sex.

 _Yet he still remains faithful to me._  
The very thought sets me ablaze.

"Kiss me down low," I whisper to him in sheer desperation. Shortly, he tastes me right where I want him to until I beg to taste him back. He lets me. Soon, I suck and suck, taking him all the way into the back of my throat.

" _Ah!_ Ana!"

I simply adore driving my husband wild. " _Bunny_ ," he rasps. Gripping my hair with both hands, he tugs at my head. " _Enough_. I want to make love to you now."

I pull him out of my mouth and he flips me over to my back. When he kisses me hard on the mouth and I return the favor, he slowly pushes into me. I moan into his throat. Then he starts to move – and I join in.

"I'm so glad that you're back here with me," he murmurs lovingly.

"Me too," I breathe.  
It's true…I was gone for a while.  
 _Now I'm back with a vengeance._

I get lost in his possession. Forcing my eyes back open after while, I completely take in the sight of him as we make love in the moonlight. As he ebbs and flows on top of me – his entire glistening body flexing artfully. I spy his taut, fit stomach, rippled chest, and veiny muscular arms.

Hell – even at 52 years old, Christian Grey is sex personified. Today, he far exceeds a certain past winner of the _'Sexiest Man Alive'_ title during _his_ silver-fox-prime. Girls both young and old (as well as some men) continue to take notice of this sexy, chivalrous, strong and loving man.

 _And still – he's all mine._

If he decided to dye his hair darker, everyone would assume that he was in his early thirties. Regardless of this fact, I hope that he'll never dye it. _Besides, only one of us should be dyeing our hair in this marriage._

Even when I was going through my recent struggles, Christian remained so patient. He's been the perfect husband. But what has always turned me on about him even more is how he is with our children.

I think back to this evening just before dinner. After he plays a hilarious game of cops and robbers with Topher, Christian decides to assist a blue Beth in baking a cake. Still at odds with her twin sister, Beth's father manages to make the sulking girl break down her walls. She laughed hysterically at Christian's severe ineptitude in the kitchen.

 _"Dad, you can't leave the egg shells in the batter like that!" she howls._

 _"Oh, my bad. I thought you wanted it crunchy."_

When I saw the two of them together enjoying each other's company, I fell in love with my husband all over again. The very thought of him, coupled with what he's now doing to me in bed sends my body straight into overdrive.

" _Faster,_ Christian," I breathe. He immediately picks up the pace, and I follow – quickly catching on to his brand new masterful rhythm. Soon, our intense motion causes the covers to slide away from us. But even on a cold winter's night in Seattle, the sheer heat that our clashing bodies generate could practically warm up the entire city.

" _Ah!_ " I groan. Not breaking his rhythm, he lowers until his lips touch my ear. He begins whispering sweet, naughty things to me that sends one charge after the other up and down my spine. Words like ' _sweet'_ and _'wet'_ were mentioned in the process. _I am going out of my mind right now._

"You feel so good, Anastasia," he breathes.

During our weekend in Aspen, he told me repeatedly that I've never felt better to him. Who would've thought that sex could actually improve after getting your baby maker yanked out?

"Do I?" I moan.

"Indeed. Tell me where you want me to come later. You want me on your breasts? On your ass?" he purrs.

I smile a shy but sexy smile. "Inside of me."

"Oh – I'm _so glad_ , Mrs. Grey. That's exactly where I want to be," he grins. He lifts up slightly and stares down at me before moving more intensely. I groan even louder, calling out his name.

Christian and I have always been magical together. Nothing feels better than being loved by this man in every possible way. The very thought of this fact sends my body into a tailspin. Not too long ago, this same body used to just ache. Now once more, my body only aches for him.

 _I'm close.  
_ He knows it like always.

"That's it, baby," he groans into my ear.

I am so thrilled to be able to give this back to my dear sweet husband. I'm even more elated to be able to have this back for myself. The crappy days when I struggled with a fading libido are long gone. _Thank the lord._

With my legs wrapped tightly around him, his hands firmly holding my face – the two of us are _almost_ there.

 _Oh God, yesssss…._

"Oh, _Ana_!"

" _Ahhhh_!"

Suddenly I hear a loud thud. Christian jumps after he apparently hears it, too.

 _What was that?  
No, no…not now! I was almost…_

"Mommy! What are you doing?!" a little boy's voice squeals in terror. I raise up to witness the outline of my youngest child at the bedroom door. He looks petrified.

 _Oh no._

I turn and gape up at Christian who's no longer moving inside me. Instead, he's frantically covering us up with the discarded bed sheets.

"Stop hurting Mommy!" Topher shouts angrily at his father.

 _Fuck! You forgot to lock the bedroom door? Seriously, Grey!_ I'm aghast, unable to process this extremely horrible moment.

 _Our baby boy just caught his parents having sex!  
_ _ **Sex!**_

If I were Topher, I'd be freaking out, too. Thankfully I've never walked in on my mother with any of her husbands _'doing it'_. I'm sure I might've heard something, but I've never actually seen it.

 _Oh God.  
Topher._

I hang my head down in shame, feeling absolutely terrible. I never thought we'd need to have _'the talk'_ with the little guy so soon. Twenty-two years. Twenty-two freaking years of having walking children in this house, and this has _never_ happened to us. _Until now._

"Topher! Go back to bed!" Christian barks.

I catch a flash of a small being darting off in the opposite direction. I soon hear Topher hysterically crying down the hall. I know immediately that I am going to have to quickly make myself decent before going after him. I place my hands on Christian's chest, urging him to move.

"What are you doing?" he says with a puzzled expression.

 _What?_ Wait… Did he actually think that we would just _keep on goin_ g after what just happened? Our three-and-a-half year old is somewhere in this massive house gouging his little eyeballs out!

"Christian," I sigh, none-too-amused.

"Let him go back to sleep. He'll forget all about it in the morning. He'll think it was just a bad dream," he says in reassurance. I'm totally not buying it.

"He thinks you _hurt_ me."

"Yes I do make you hurt, but in a _very_ good way," he teases with a stupid smirk. I glare at him.

He thinks that boys are more resilient than girls. If it were one of our little girls catching us in the act, Christian wouldn't be sitting in here with me now. He'd be scrubbing their brains out with bleach. _'Don't you do what you just saw me and your mother do until you're thirty, young lady!'_

"How can you joke right now? Our little boy just caught us having sex!" I whisper loudly, practically snapping. Still, he doesn't get it. I decide to reach him right where it hurts. "Imagine that were four-year-old _little Christian_ walking in on Grace and Carrick."

"Stop!" He gapes at me, horrified. "Jesus, _no!_ " He's trying hard to shake away the jarring image from his head.

"Exactly." _I rest my case._ Christian finally eases up and out of me. I roll out of bed.

"Let me talk to him," he offers, reaching for his pajama pants on the floor.

"No, I'll speak to him first. He needs to know straight from the horse's mouth that his father wasn't just trying to murder his mother."

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** **_Many of you had Diana pegged right away. However some of you stood by her until the very end. To those readers – Don't worry; you'll see her again sometime after chapter 22. As I mentioned one time on my Facebook page, Diana is a little more complex than we think. Like Christian Grey himself, she has many layers. Who knows, if the wrong person ever got ahold of her years ago, she probably could've been the next Elena Lincoln! Good thing that never happened._** **;)**

 ** _Next up – Ana has a very animated talk with her young son about what he just stumbled in on. Then later on that day during swim class, something dawns on Ana about Topher's best friend._**

 ** _On to the older kids – Instead of wallowing in his own pain, Ted uses his powers for good and plays mediator between the twins. Later, Sophie finally reaches out to him for his help on a serious matter._**

 ** _I appreciate you all being so patient with updates. My goal is to have chapters 21 and 22 done by Christmas since I'm on break from work. However, I can't make any promises. I usually have friends and family pulling me away from my writing shut-ins and forcing me to hang out with them, which actually happened yesterday, haha! Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	21. Chapter 21 - Love Game

**Chapter 21 – Love Game**

 _Saturday, February 2, 2036_

 _Ana_

All freshened up and clothed in a new nightgown and robe, I frantically scan the house on my way toward Topher's bedroom. It's barely after midnight, but it's been less than ten minutes since our youngest child barged in on his father and I having sex.

Topher Grey is our own little _hide and seek_ champion, so I don't immediately assume that he's tucked away in his room as his father ordered him. But when I arrive, I am surprised to find the little guy balled up in the center of his bed and sniffling away.

Every light that exists in his room is turned on. Before joining him, I hit most of them off while leaving on a very soft, ambient light. I climb into bed and place my arm gently around him.

"Topher? Honey."

After stubbornly remaining still for a few moments, he eventually un-tucks himself and gazes up at me. Sniffling, he studies my face for a beat. His lip pouts even more, slowly breaking my heart.

 _Why didn't Christian lock that damn door?  
_ That question is going to vex me for the rest of my life.

"Mommy? Are you okay?" he whispers.

I giggle and smile brightly at my sweet prince. "Of course I'm okay, sweetheart. Mommy's perfectly fine. I promise."

"So why was you crying? Why was Daddy wrestling you?" he utters with a quivering lip.

 _Sweet Lord._  
 _Why didn't I take Christian's offer for him to handle this?_

Okay, Ana. You've got this. You've done this talk at least three other times. Granted, you've never had it with a _soon-to-be four-year-old_. But still, you've explained Santa Claus. You've rationalized the Easter Bunny. And now you can explain this most recent circumstance in a way that will put this innocent young boy at ease and not traumatize him.

"So listen," I broach the preschooler. "Mommy is going to tell you something that stays between us. This is top secret agent news. That means you can't ever tell anyone about this until you're all grown up. Not even your friends."

With sad puppy dog eyes, he slowly gives me the _Boy Scout's honor_ signal. I smile lovingly at him.

"So you see, when a mommy and a daddy really love each other, they like to play this game."

"A game?" he squeaks.

I flash him a warm grin and nod.  
"Yes. It's called: _The Mommy and Daddy Game_."

" _The Mommy and Daddy Game_?" he echoes in wonderment.

"Mmm hmm," I beam. "And the mommy might make a lot of noises, but the daddy isn't _really_ hurting her. In fact, the mommy and daddy love each other _soooo_ much that they would _never ever_ hurt one another."

Topher tilts his little head and gazes at me with very confused little eyes.

"In this game, is the daddy s'posed to put the mommy in a UFC submission hold and bounce on top of her like a trampoline, naked?"

Oh boy. This is _not_ going well.

"Well…sometimes?" I squint awkwardly. "The mommy can have the daddy in a hold, too. Sometimes."

This is absolutely brutal.

"So was Daddy winning the game when I saw?"

Floor – _please_ , suck me up now.

"No, honey. In this game, everyone wins. Like I said, the mommy and the daddy love each other very much. That's why they like to play this game together."

"So only mommies and daddies can play?" he asks.

"Uh huh. Nobody can play this game _except_ for mommies and daddies."

"Oh," he says, but I can tell that so many other questions are churning in that sweet little head of his.

"Only mommies and daddies were supposed to know about that game. You weren't supposed to see that," I murmur, mussing up his soft, thick mane.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I was so scared and wanted to see you. I didn't know that you and Daddy were playing a game."

 _Goodness, he is too much._ I hug him very tightly with both arms and he wraps his little arms as best he can around me.

"So are you okay now? Do you think that you can go back to sleep?" I coo, kissing his hair.

"I can try," he says dolefully. "You want to get back to your game with Daddy."

 _Boy, oh boy._ I close my eyes in both pity and shame.

"Why don't you think you can go back to sleep? Did you have a bad dream or something?" I ask.

He nods sadly.

"My poor, poor baby," I murmur, squeezing his tiny body once more. "What did you dream about?"

"I dreamt that Roman and me were running away from crazy Tabitha in swim class. When she caught us, she morphed into the Lake Washington monster!"

I bite my lip trying desperately not to laugh.  
My sweet little boy and his little friend – deathly frightened of little girls.

"It was only a bad dream, Topher. I assure you that Tabitha from swim class isn't the Lake Washington monster."

"Don't be so sure of that, Mommy. I don't trust her," he pouts.

"Well if Tabitha is the Lake Washington monster, I promise that I will _never_ let her get you," I say, kissing his forehead.

"And Roman, too?" he pleads. If this isn't the most adorable thing I've ever heard. Topher is being very protective of his little friend over a clear and un-present _non-danger_. I could just dissolve right here.

"Ronan's grandma and mommy will _always_ protect him. Just as me, your daddy, your grandparents, and your brother and sisters will _always_ protect you." I hug him for the umpteenth time.

"I have more people to protect me than Roman. Roman doesn't have a daddy right now."

My heart practically breaks. Topher is so wise beyond his years. He is going to be a force when he grows up. I envision him protecting so many who are unable to protect themselves.

"Sweetheart, I know," I say regretfully. "But Ronan has people who really love him. And most of all, he has the _perfect_ best friend," I say with a squeeze.

"Yep. He does," he sparks.

"So how about you go to sleep so you can wake up, have breakfast, and later see your best friend in swim class? How does that sound?"

He nods slowly. I know he likes the idea, but he is still struggling with the notion of returning to sleep. I truly feel for his plight, so lay down by his side to lull him to sleep.

All of a sudden, I feel someone shaking me.

"Bunny."

My eyes spring open and slowly come into focus. I eventually spot Christian standing over me donning a loving smirk. I quickly turn over to the side and see that Topher is sound asleep. I mumble something unintelligible. I'd apparently fallen asleep while soothing our adorable little intruder.

* * *

 _Ted_

For the past few weekends since my birthday, I've been working non-stop.

I've made major headway kicking off the PTF global core concepts to the entire organization. My team will begin initiating a series of workshops with key line experts from each department in order to pilot phase #1. Today I'm already in the process of laying down the groundwork for phase #2. We are four months ahead of schedule.

I purpose myself to slow down in order to not get way ahead of myself. PTF will be at its maturity in four years, so we have plenty of time to properly roll this thing out. However, I'm still working overtime, even though I don't have to.

Phoebe has done a fantastic job having my back when she can. I admire the hell out of that kid. She's taking 18 credit hours during her final semester at UW and still manages to log in 25-30 hours with me here in the office.

Still – even though my sister has me on track and I am _way_ ahead of schedule, it doesn't stop me from working around the clock. When I run out of things to do, I create more work.

For example, I recently initiated a brand new meeting cadence that's directly linked to our email program. Whenever someone sets up a meeting, the new tool lines everything up: Conference room, meeting participants, a timed agenda, any required pre-work, etc. This way, no meeting is ever a waste of time. After successfully kicking this off two weeks ago, Marisol is now training several other departments who were very eager to adapt the new practice. That's just one of the many things outside of the scope of my responsibility that I've accomplished.

My father's been praising me like never before. I mean – it's great and all. However, I can't help but feel that all of this work I'm doing is for nothing. Don't get me wrong…I absolutely appreciate GEH and what this company has done for my family. We wouldn't be able to help others if it weren't for the opportunities that this empire has afforded us. However, I feel _zero_ connection with Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

None.  
Noda.

I look at people like my sister and Hanson who remain extremely loyal to the company. I don't ever imagine them working anyplace else. As for me, I can't help _but_ see myself functioning outside of these twenty stories. When inside of this building, no matter how hard I try – I can't create anything from clay. My father already built the foundation here over thirty years ago.

I need something to call _mine_.

So with that, I'm exhausted from working any further in my office. I check my watch and see that I just barely made decent time to have lunch. I could just leave and grab a bite to eat at a bar somewhere. Or I can go home and whip up something real quick. But for some reason, I don't really feel like eating alone.

I'm idly tempted to swing by my folks' place to see what everyone's up to. I promptly remember that Topher's on his way to swim class with Mom right about now. I recall that Dad took Charlie Tango, his helicopter this morning to WSU-Vancouver, Mom's alma mater to check the progress of the new science and technology building. The thought causes a pang to hit my chest. _My ex-fiancée also went there._

So, I had to stop myself once or twice from hiring Gerts to see if he can find out what Diana's been up to since she's been gone. I mean it wouldn't be an entirely bad idea for her to be checked on in case she turns out to be even more evil than I thought. But if I was being completely honest with myself, I'm more curious if she's in the process of picking herself back up and becoming a decent person again.

I'm rather certain that she hasn't landed a decent job yet, and she won't anytime soon. Fortunately for her, she has enough in her bank account to last her a couple of years if she decided to live modestly. By no means will she be homeless, even though she won't be making GEH-type of money.

It's easy to hate Diana. She did some really fucked up things. But I don't hate her. More than anything, I miss her as a friend. She was a _great_ friend. Back when I was in the thick of my mental anguish over Sophie, Diana was right there for me. And after she picked up my spirits, I was able to help her get over Richard – the asshole back at WSUV who mentally abused her.

 _"I'd make all of these life plans for us, which he'd agree to. Then during an argument, he would bring them up to tell me how stupid they were."_

I wonder who's there for Diana now to help her to get over me.

I'm sure she has her little sister's shoulder. They were always quite close. I think about her parents. Diana's relationship with her dad and mom always seemed sort of weird to me. It wasn't until I met them that I understood why. I get why she adored my parents so much.

Her father comes across as a douche bag. Don't get me wrong; he's always been rather nice to me. But he only wanted to talk shop with me. He'd never bring up his daughter in conversation. He loved parading his accomplishments and touting his _burgeoning mogul_ status. During Diana's and my engagement party, he was constantly up my folks' ass. My father literally had to walk away and drag Mom with him when Mr. Fenkell continued to babble incessantly about closed-end fund investments. He exceedingly embarrassed poor Diana that night.

However, Diana's mother was as sweet as pie. I'd hear stories from Diana of when she was younger and how much fun she had with her sister and mother. I assume things changed between Mrs. Fenkell and her oldest daughter when Diana left for college. For some reason, Diana feels indifferent towards her.

I begin entertaining thoughts about what could've possibly drove Diana to do what she did. Then I quickly yank myself out before falling into a black hole. I finally resolve to leave the office and stop dwelling on ex-fiancées and work bullshit. Instead, I head over my folks' to catch who's home.

Ten minutes later, I hop in my car and begin the forty-five minute journey. Even if no one's home, at least I'll enjoy a scenic drive on a dreary day in Seattle.

….

I pull into the attached garage as I always do. When I pass the foyer into the great room, I come across Brie who's apparently in a hurry. She's wearing jeans, sneakers and a lightweight purple coat. Her purse hangs over her shoulder, so I know that she's going where I just came from.

"Hey squirt – where're you heading?"

She blinks, rather surprised to see me. "Teddy!" Brie squeaks. She runs and jumps up to hug me. "What cha doing here?"

"I came to see you guys. Where's Beth?"

She frowns bitterly. "Don't know. Don't care."

I puff in disbelief. "What a minute, you two still aren't speaking?"

"Nope," she says with defiance.

"Now Brie," I grin. "Come on. You're identical twins. You two have always been inseparable."

"Well obviously that meant nothing to her when she was kissing my _ex_ ," she says bitterly.

"Seriously? You stopped speaking over that sucker Jesse Rogers?" I say in disbelief.

" _Sucker_?" Brie echoes. If I'm not mistaken, she seems offended.

"Yeah, _sucker_. Didn't he practically let you run all over him?" I smirk.

" _What_?!" she says in shock.

"You were constantly breaking up with the dude for no good reason at all, and he eagerly took you back _every single time_. He's a chump," I surmise.

All the kids at the high school were talking about it. And those kids who have older siblings would soon hear about the legend of _the infamous Brianna Grey tap dancing on the heart of a weak and spineless Jesse Rogers_.

The word on the street is that my bulldog baby sister's on again/off again doormat had the sympathy of all of the cute girls in school. But none of them could touch him. Brie's basically the most popular girl in school, and poor Jesse was at her mercy.

Brie tightens up her lip and hangs her head in embarrassment.

"Yeah, not a good look for Jesse," I say, emphasizing my point.

Before I can speak any further, in walks Beth – still in her pajamas. She's startled when she sees Brie and I talking.

"Teddy?" she says, eyes wide in surprise. I smile at her but then I turn to look at Brie who borderline scowls.

"Okay girls, I'm here to take you out to lunch. Beth – get dressed," I order. "Chop-chop."

"I was just leaving," Brie says with a frown.

"Where're you going?" I ask with skepticism.

"Out," she says stubbornly.

"So you don't want to go out to lunch with your big brother?" I say, playing the guilt-trip card.

"Maybe next time. I need _to_ …"

"Where are you going?" I ask again.

"Look," Beth starts. "You guys go. I'm not feeling so hot anyway…"

"What's wrong with you?" I now ask Beth with a doubtful squint.

These girls are really trying their damnedest not to co-exist. It's utterly ridiculous. They're twin sisters for crying out loud!

I decide to make it my mission to drag them out – just the three of us. And then we are going to end this stupid fight once and for all.

"Beth, get dressed. _Now_ ," I order again.

She gives me a look that says _'you are not my dad'_ , but then she huffs in frustration before turning on her heel. Hopefully she's on her way to do exactly what I've asked.

"And you, young lady," I say once I turn back to Brie. "Unless you're on your way to save someone's life, or you now have a job again working on weekends, you are going with me, too."

"Teddy," she whines. "I don't wanna."

"You don't want to go out to lunch with me?" I say with an exaggerated pout.

"Stop it," she giggles, slapping me on the arm.

"So why don't you wanna go?" I ask.

"You know why," she says unenthusiastically.

"I just want to take my little sisters out to lunch – is that so wrong? Look, you know I had a rough time last month and I've been sort of steering clear from here recently. But today I decided that I wanted to stop working all day on a Saturday for once and enjoy a nice lunch with my two little sisters," I say earnestly.

Brie sighs and then she scrunches her little nose, as she always does when she feels backed into a corner. "Fine," she says through gritted teeth.

Score one for me playing the sympathy card.  
 _Nice work, Ted._

….

I practically have to drag the twins into the restaurant. I choose a place that has a bit of everything so that the girls can order whatever they like. When we come to the sign that tells us to seat ourselves, Brie annoyingly marches ahead of us and slides into a booth. Spiritless, Beth takes the bench across from her. Because I know that Brie is the live wire, I box her in.

I have the prompt waitress start us off with water. I glance quickly at the menu and know exactly what I want by the time our drinks come. The waitress vows to return once everyone is ready. My youngest sisters who are normally so full of life are anything _but_ at the moment. I decide to humor them and remain silent in order to demonstrate to them how ridiculous this is.

After three minutes go by, I check over my shoulder to see that Brie is actively not looking at her twin sitting directly across from her. I glance over at Beth and I have no doubt that she's intentionally prolonging her view of the menu so she doesn't have to look at Brie. I've had enough.

"Brie. Beth. You are going to have to stop being enemies."

I scan both girls, but they don't budge. When the waitress returns for our order, I kindly implore her to give us more time. From the concerned expression on her face, it's rather apparent she knows that I am in the thick of a crisis between two bullheaded teenaged girls. The waitress takes pity on me and promises to return ' _much later'_.

"Look," I try again. "You might as well bury the hatchet now. Prom and graduation are just around the corner. Then you'll be heading off to Gonzaga in the fall."

"I'm considering withdrawing my acceptance – especially if _she's_ there," Brie frowns bitterly.

"Fine by me. I have a full music scholarship there," Beth digs with arms folded.

"You're such a bitch!" Brie snaps.

I hold out my arms to placate them both. "Stop – both of you. What in the wide world of assery is going on here? Do you honestly want to break up?"

The twins are now facing away from each other – tight lipped and oozing with disregard. It's unsettling. I try for reason. Maybe a speck of affection still remains their hearts. And if it's there, I'm going to expose it and squeeze the hell out of it.

"You've been inseparable since you were babies. Listen – back when I was five years old, I remember when our folks brought home you two _alien babies_ from the hospital."

Brie elbows me while Beth rolls her eyes. I chuckle before resuming my point.

"The second Grandma Grace took one of you away to change a diaper while the other stayed with Mom, both of you started to scream your heads off. Everyone thought it was _so_ cute, and that it was a one-time thing. Heck no. That crap happened _every single time_. Once they realized that it would _never_ stop, Mom and Dad made sure that the both of you were always together during diaper changes, feedings, baths, naps – _you name it_."

I perform a live status check and discover that they are no longer mean mugging like prizefighters. They're still not facing each other, but at least they've softened up a bit.

 _Good. We're getting close.  
Let's bring it on home._

"You may not know this – but Pheeb and I were always kinda jealous of the two of you."

When I turn to Beth first and then Brie, both are looking at me puzzled.

"Really? How?" Beth asks quietly.

"I was the first in the house to enter school. I had no other sibling before me to pave the way. I was nervous at first. Eventually I ended up making some good friends. Phoebe would later come in after me, but I was two years beyond her with my own set of friends. She had to start from scratch just like me and forge her own friendships. Phoebe and I didn't have each other the way that you two do."

"Wow, I never thought of that," Brie says, finally breaking her silence.

"You had an _instant best friend_ in one another to experience all of your firsts with," I explain. "And because you were twins, you could simply enter a room – and soon, everyone's clamoring to be your new sidekick. You're the _cool twins_ that everyone wants to know and hang out with."

"Lindsey Marston," Brie says out of nowhere.

I turn to ask who Lindsey is and discover that Brie's finally looking at her twin. Beth returns a wistful smile.

"Yeah. She ran up to us the moment we first walked into our kindergarten classroom," Beth recalls.

"She wouldn't leave us alone," Brie smirks.

"I liked Lindsey. We're actually friends on social media now," says Beth.

"Really?" Brie says in surprise. "I saw her friend request and ignored it," she snorts. "She was always a pain in the ass."

Beth laughs. "Yeah, she can be a bit much at times."

I smile proudly as I witness my two sisters finally speaking to one another.

"Remember Scott Barnes?" Brie calls out. Beth squints, tilts her head, and then shakes it when she comes up empty. "You know…the goofy blond kid from second grade. The one who wouldn't stop pulling Britney Jackson's hair?"

Beth's eyes open up wide. "Oh yeah! I remember him!"

"I saw him at the mall last Saturday. He looks _kinda_ the same."

"Really?"

"Except _waaay_ cuter," Brie gushes.

"No way!" her twin gasps.

Oh swell. Listening to your two little sisters slobber over boys is _pretty awkward_.

Brie reaches into her bag for her phone and begins swiping around until she finds what she's looking for. She then flips it over and hands it to Beth.

" _Oh my God_ ," Beth mouths in utter shock. "He is _hot_!"

 _I have no desire to see this._

"He suddenly friended me on social media that same day. He messages me every so often."

" _What_?"

"He's a really nice guy. He actually goes to Interlake High," Brie says nonchalantly.

"Wait a minute…you've been _talking_? Has he asked you out?" Beth utters with wide eyes.

"I've just been keeping things _on the regular_. I really need to work on myself before I think about another boyfriend."

I gape at Brie. "Who _are_ you?" I say, flabbergasted.

Brie swats my arm and I wince in pain. " _Yeah_ , _yeah_. It finally occurred to me that I was treating Jesse like crap," she fesses up. She turns her attention to our sister, but Beth speaks first.

"Look, Brie – I'm sorr…"

"I know," Brie says in understanding. "I was really shitty to Jesse and you've been telling me so for the longest time."

"But I still had no right to kiss him. It was _so wrong_ ," Beth stresses with pain in her eyes.

"You felt sorry for him. You felt sorry for him and had a moment of weakness," Brie says in understanding.

Hell yes.

I should take my relationship repairing skills out on the road.

 _Theodore R. Grey: Mending Estranged Siblings, One Family At a Time._

"But that was still no excuse to cross the line with him. No matter how bad you treated him, my loyalty should've remained with _you_ – my sister and _best friend_. I broke the code," Beth utters, practically in tears.

Soon, I feel Brie's hip bump into mine, prompting me to slide out of her way. I shift out of the bench and Brie slides out, and then slides in next to Beth. Brie lovingly wraps her arms around twin and Beth reciprocates, burying her face into Brie's shoulder.

 _Well, my work's done here._ With pride, I ceremoniously dust off my hands.

"I love you, twin. I know that you would never do anything to intentionally hurt me," Brie murmurs.

"I love you too, Breester." The two girls hug harder.

 _Breester?_  
I snort.

"Shut up Teddy!" Brie playfully scolds.

" _Bree-sterrrr_ , my _little seeee-sterrr_ ," I tease her in song.

And just like the two peas in a pod they are, the girls reach into their respective water glasses and begin pelting me with ice cubes. I laugh while methodically dodging the blows before retrieving discarded cubes and tossing them right back at my assailants. They squeal with laughter, shielding themselves with their laminated menus.

We soon catch a few annoyed glances from nearby patrons. The three of us quickly remember ourselves and then clean up some of the carnage before making a scene with the staff. Thankfully we are decent once more when our waitress returns to take our order. We all order the same entree – a bacon cheeseburger with bottomless fries. But the twins order cherry cokes, while I opt for the root beer.

"Root beer is gross," Brie frowns at me once the waitress takes off.

"Hey, _I_ like it," I say in my defense.

"It tastes just like black liquorish," Beth adds, sticking out her tongue in disgust.

"I like black liquorish, too," I add.

"We know. We used to give you all the black jellybeans," Brie chuckles. I smile at the memory when Beth blinks and then glances purposely between Brie and I.

"Hey, did you hear about the _big drama_ from last night?" says Beth.

"What drama?" I ask.

"What happened?" Brie chirps – interest piqued.

"So," Beth starts as she slides up closer to the table. Brie and I follow suit. "I was up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. I drank a ton of water earlier for some reason. Anyway, I heard Topher crying – so I opened the door to check on him. Then I saw Mom already in his room trying to calm him down. I eavesdropped for a few because I had no clue what was going on. Then it dawns on me." A scandalous grin now takes residence on Beth's face.

" _Spill_ ," I order.

"Yeah, spill!" Brie gapes in delight.

"Topher barged in on Mom and Dad. _Doing it_."

 _NO!  
Bloody hell!_

"Oh my God! Are you kidding?!" Brie squeals. Beth smirks and nods slowly.

"Poor Toph," I frown in utter disgust.

"Yeah…scarred for life," Beth bleakly adds. "He was practically inconsolable."

"She probably had to have _'the talk'_ with him," Brie shudders.

"Oh no," I wince in pain. "He's lucky that it was _Mom_ telling him."

"Didn't Mom have _the talk_ with you?" Brie asks, confused.

"Nope," I answer with tightened lips.  
 _I still remember the day it happened._  
I shudder at the thought.

"No way! _Dad_?" Beth gasps. Brie soon mimics her expression. I nod slowly in shame.

"How in the world did _that_ take place?" Brie asks in shock.

"You don't _even_ want to know. I still have nightmares about it," I say with a straight face.

"You poor thing," Beth groans.

"I wanted to put him out of his misery. He _so_ didn't want to be talking to me about it. I'm sure Mom made him do it," I chuckle.

"And I'm sure that Mom only told Topher enough to put him back to sleep. Dad's probably not off the hook with him yet," Brie grins.

"Hey," Beth perks up to Brie as if something funny just came to mind. "Remember when we asked Sophie Taylor about sex when we were in third grade?"

My stomach drops at the mention of her name.  
 _Sophie and I were each other's first._

Brie laughs. "Sophie was awesome. She was our best babysitter. I was so sad when we found out that she wouldn't be watching us anymore."

"Me too," Beth co-signs.

My head falls and I eye my twisted fingers in my lap. I know that the twins had no clue what was going on in the house around that time. Phoebe eventually found out because she and I were closer in age.

"I always thought that Teddy had a huge crush on her," I hear one of the girls say. I raise my head and catch Brie wearing a sly smirk.

"Hey, who wouldn't?" Beth adds nonchalantly. "She was freaking gorgeous."

"I know," Brie agrees. "I wonder what ever happened to her. She stopped going over to Mr. and Mrs. Taylor's house. Do you know if she still hangs out with her dad and stepmom?"

 _Fuck – how'd the conversation turn here?_ I simply shrug my shoulders at the two of them. Once you give these twins an opening, they are going to want to rip that breach wide open. I decide to quickly change the subject.

"Hey, what's the status on Pheeb's birthday party next month?"

* * *

 _Ana_

I know the drill. The moment Topher and I arrive in the pool area, I stand back. Topher immediately finds Ronan and the two boys gravitate. Soon, they are running and splashing around the fun area of the pool before their class gathers. I spot Shannon, Ronan's grandmother and she heads my way.

"Ana – good to see you."

"Shannon, likewise," I smile.

"My daughter told me earlier that Ronan had a rough time sleeping last night. He couldn't wait to get here," Shannon chuckles.

"I can relate," I say with an awkward grin. I really don't think I should go there. Last night with Topher was a little _challenging_ , to say the least.

It suddenly dawns on me that Shannon isn't in her swimsuit. She is still wearing her street clothes. Shannon realizes that I've noticed.

"Oh – Ronan told me that he's a big boy who can swim and doesn't need his granny in the pool with him anymore," Shannon smirks.

I gape sympathetically. "Oh _no_."

"It's fine. He's right. He's doing great now and doesn't need me in there with him anymore. Besides, what _soon-to-be four-year-old_ with basic swim training is gonna drown in 2 ½ feet?" she quips.

She does have a point.

"Although it breaks my heart to let him go, Topher won't let me in there with him once he sees that Ronan is being a _big boy_ ," I say, feeling bittersweet.

"Topher will be _fine_ ," she warmly assures me. "And you can go ahead and change once class starts."

Fifteen minutes later, I enter back into the swim area in my normal clothes and watch Topher, Ronan, and the gang enjoying their lesson. I turn and see Shannon waving me over nearby.

"You made it back," she beams once I arrive. I nod.

"How are they doing?"

"Fantastic. Topher was just zipping around a minute ago. His head-turn and breathing…outstanding," she smiles. I laugh.

"Topher likes to compete in our pool at home to see who can hold in their breath the longest," I share.

"I'm sure Ronan will be playing that game soon. Him and his mother just moved into their own apartment that has a community pool," Shannon says proudly.

"That's wonderful," I respond to the news.

"Yeah. They're practically downtown and can walk to almost anywhere. My daughter was quite lucky to find such a deal on the place. She also recently got a raise on her job."

I clutch my chest, touched by vast turnaround. "I'm _so_ happy to hear that. I know you're so happy to see your daughter doing so well."

Shannon smiles and I can tell that she could almost cry happy tears. It deeply touches my heart. Ronan's mother sounds like an astounding young woman. She has completely rebounded from a terrible situation and got her life back on track for her and her son. I hope I'll get to meet her one of these days.

Before Shannon can say another word, she shuffles to retrieve her buzzing phone.

"Hello?" she answers. "Oh, yes!" she responds in sudden surprise. "I'm sorry – could I trouble you to hold for a brief second? Thanks – I'll be just one moment."

Shannon takes the phone from her ear and places her hand to the mouthpiece. "Ana, would you mind keeping an eye on Ronan and make sure he doesn't wonder off in case the teacher's not looking? I really need to take this call."

"Absolutely. I'm more than glad to do it."

Grateful, she promises her swift return and takes off.

I sit down in the pool chair and gush as I witness my little boy having the time of his life with his best friend. While some of the younger children have their mommies to hold them up against the wall to practice their kicks, Topher and Ronan each take turns holding the other one steady as they following along.

S _o adorable!_ Just when I grab my phone to snap a photo of the two partners in crime, the instructor blows the whistle.

"Ten minute break!"

Without a second delay, Topher, Ronan and the whole lot cheerfully climb out of the training pool and head over to the water slide. The two boys remain inseparable as they each take turns climbing up the ladder and splashing all the way down.

As soon as Ronan lands, he swiftly recovers and wallows over to the fountains ahead of Topher. As I watch him, a fog suddenly comes over me. The sounds that I once heard are now distant.

The joyful squeals of children.  
The bell ringing each time the water bucket is filled and ready to pour.  
Everything is faint.

I watch as Ronan suddenly fades away.

The way he runs.  
The way he laughs.

In a flash, I suddenly have a vision of nearly 20 years ago. As clear as day, I see a rambunctious Teddy, cheerfully sliding down a slide leading into the family pool. We all cheer when he lands.

I blink once and suddenly my sense of sound and sight are fully restored. I see Ronan once more as he patiently waits for Topher to shoot down the slide.

My heart nearly stops beating.

* * *

 _Ted_

I'm feeling rather cocky after dropping my sisters off at home. I'm so glad that today isn't a complete waste. On top of closing out phase #1 of PTF, I've managed to save the Grey's future generation by putting an end to the Brie/Beth civil war.

As I hit I-5, the good feeling slowly melts away when it dawns on me that I'm headed home alone. It's a Saturday, for crying out loud. I'm young, but I'm miserable; _too_ miserable to socialize with strangers.

When I ponder if I'm desperate enough to call Monty, I begin feeling nauseous. That idiot's been chomping at the bit to get his claws on me since Diana and I broke up.

 _"Yaaaasss! The Mack has returned!  
We're gonna tear up Seattle, baby!  
You and me!"_

Jesus. No thank you.

I think about what movies I could watch at home or what books I could get into. I'm afraid to play any videogames and have one of the guys catch me online.

Before I can consider what my other options are, my phone rings. A lump forms in my throat when I catch the caller's name on the display screen. _Sophie._

Well, it looks like my sisters talked her up because there she is calling me. It's odd because I've wanted to call her since Diana and I broke up, but I talked myself out of it.

 _Answer the damn phone, Grey._

"Hey," I greet.

"Hey," she responds warmly. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"Not at all," I reply, trying my best not to sound desperate.

"It sounds like you're driving," she realizes.

"I am. I just dropped the twins off at the house after having lunch with them," I tell her.

"Brie and Beth?" The excitement in her voice produces a fluttering feeling in my gut that I instantly want to drown. "I know they're so big now. How are they?"

"They're great. They'll be graduating high school in May."

"Oh my goodness," she gasps. "Where has the time gone?"

"I know, right?" I chuckle.

"Where will they be going in the fall?" she asks.

"They'll both be at Gonzaga. Beth landed a full music scholarship, while Brie will be there on a partial volleyball scholarship."

"That's _amazing_!" she sparks.

"Yeah," I grunt. "Beth will be double majoring in music and math, and Brie will be double majoring in political science and biology."

"Political science, huh. That's just _so_ Brie," Sophie laughs. "I always thought she'd make a great politician the way she would talk herself out of trouble."

I laugh at the thought. All joking aside, Brie has always been great at pulling folks together to fight for a common cause. When she deathly despised the rank pizza served in the cafeteria, she rallied up the troops in protest. Needless to say, Topher has his big sister to thank when he's not being served cardboard with fake cheese like Phoebe and I were all during middle school.

Shrugging myself back into the here and now, I suddenly remember the situation at hand. _Sophie_ called _me_. Before I get the chance to ask what prompted her call, she asks about another sibling.

"What about Phoebe? Doesn't she have one more year to go in college?"

I can tell that she truly misses my sisters. The four of them were always so close. The very thought warms my heart.

"Actually, she'll be done at your alma mater this April. She's finishing up a year early. She's working part time at Grey House and will be full time after graduation."

"Wow, good for her!" she peps. "Man… _all_ of the Grey kids are geniuses," she giggles.

"Well, I think it's just us trying to hurry out from under our parents' thumbs," I quip.

"No way," she chuckles. "You kids have always been smart. All four of you."

" _Five_ ," I pipe.

" _What_?" she gasps. "There's another?"

"My baby brother. Topher. He'll be four on the last day of July."

"Really?" she longingly sighs. "That's _so_ cool. My son will be four on the last day of May. I didn't know your mom had another child."

Of course she wouldn't have known. Well, she could've found out if she'd read any of the online publications that have spotlighted our family. But perhaps she decided to avoid news about us altogether.

 _That wouldn't be difficult for someone who actively avoids her own father._  
I brush away the bitter thought.

"Yes – Christopher Carrick Grey…or _Topher_ as he insists on being called," I say in humor.

" _Carrick_. After your grandfather," she remembers.

"Mmm hmm."

"That's too sweet."

As I reach the halfway point of my drive home, I have a sudden thought.

"Hey, where are you?" I ask out of the blue.

"I'm sitting in the employee lounge at work," she replies.

So she called me from work. I wonder if this was just a call for general purposes, or she actually needed something.

"At the Olympic?" I ask.

"Mmm, hmm."

"Are you on break?"

She laughs. "I didn't realize that I was scheduled to come in at five. I had my mother drop me off this afternoon before she took my son to swim class. Her car's in the shop until next week."

"It's just after two o'clock," I tell her.

"Yep. So needless to say I'm stuck in here until my shift starts," she sighs.

"Hey, I don't live too far. If you're bored…"

 _Fuck, Grey – what are you doing?!_

All I had to do was ask why she called, hang up, and go home. Now I'm offering to go and see her. I feel like banging my head against the steering wheel.

"Sure," she says quietly. "You don't mind?"

I wince at her response. "Not at all. You're stuck doing nothing for the next three hours," I crack.

"Okay," she acquiesces. "Did you want to meet me in the lobby, or would you like me to come out?"

Fuck. What should I do?  
Wherever we decide, it needs to be a public place.  
Well, not _too_ public. I don't want to run into anyone I know.

"There's a coffee shop a couple blocks away from your job."

"I know exactly the one you're referring to," she says. "They have the best skinny lattes."

"That's the one," I smile. "How about you meet me out front and I'll drive?"

"Sounds good," she perks.

The second that we hang up, I'm already giving myself the third degree.

Relax Grey. You're just being cordial and kind to a longtime friend of the family. If she needs help within reason, then help her. This isn't you trying to get back with her.

You're done with women.  
They've proven themselves to be untrustworthy… _this one_ included.  
 _Especially_ this one.

No, Sophie didn't gaslight two very high-performing employees by essentially committing vendor fraud for my sake – albeit Diana's resulting fraud was very unintentional.

Granted, what Sophie did seemed _way worse_ to me at the time. But part of me now feels that I wasn't completely being honest with Sophie either. Back when I was at Stanford, I was steadily getting blowjobs and not classifying it as cheating.

 _Yeah, guys are dumb._

However, it still doesn't excuse the way she treated me when she dumped me for Aiden _'McDruggie'_ Glenn. Then she let him knock her up.

 _"My son will be four on the last day of May."_

I squint and perform the quick math in my head.

 _So when exactly did she cheat on me?  
It's forty weeks for a full term pregnancy, right?  
May 31_ _st_ _…2032…_

Sophie and I were last together in the summer of 2031. She obviously wasted no time to start fucking Aiden. _I bet she could've dropped a class at UW and still get a full refund when Aiden started sticking his meth-filled dick in her. Not even a month. That's how long she waited after summer break to move on from me._

Old feelings of hurt that I had no clue still remained flood directly to the surface. I tell myself that it's old news. _Forgive her and move on, Grey._ Besides, getting back with Sophie isn't an option.

If anything, I only want to make certain that she's moved far away from her legal troubles and she's able to make a better life for her and her little boy.

Sophie may have broken my heart once upon a time, but I'd never wish her any ill will.

….

Fifteen minutes later, I pull up in front of the Olympic hotel. The valet immediately rushes to my car. I lower the passenger side window.

"Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to the Fairmont Olympic," he greets. He looks to be my age or even two years younger. He's soon admiring my car, practically chomping at the bit to get in and drive it.

"I'm not a guest. I'm meeting…"

"Sorry…" I hear a female's voice pipe in nearby.

I turn towards the sound and my jaw nearly hits the floor.

 _Holy shit._ I practically gasp.

Be still, my beating heart.

No, this is _not_ the same girl who barged into Grey House five months ago wearing an oversized open flannel shirt over a ratty t-shirt, battered jeans and dirty sneakers. Her hair was a mess. Her nails were chipped and worn.

No, the girl who's now smiling at me looks fucking amazing. Her golden blond hair practically glows down her shoulders and over her chest. Under her open gray trench coat is a fitting black skirt suit with a ruffled lavender blouse. Her patent leather high-heeled pumps are scuff-less. Her sparkling red nails are all long and perfectly manicured.

I am speechless.

"Hey, Sophie!" the valet sings. I blink out of my trance and catch him practically drooling all over her. _Like you were just doing, Grey._

"Hi Mike. He's here for me," she beams at him. Without thinking, I quickly spring out the car and nearly shove Mike into the street in order to grab the passenger door for Sophie.

"Hey," she sweetly smiles my way. She looks genuinely happy to see me.

I smile back. "Hey." Instead of climbing into the car, she reaches out to hug me first. I wince but quickly remember myself and pull her into a warm embrace.

 _My God…I remember this smell_. I close my eyes and take her in before snapping out of it and ushering her into the car. It dawns on me that she felt quite fit when I hugged her. She's obviously been taking very good care of herself.

When I return to the driver's seat, Sophie is addressing the valet guy through the window.

"I'll be back before five. That's when my shift starts."

"Cool, I'll see you then," he says with a wink. I frown at him as Sophie rolls up her window.

Hey dude, you see she's with me. Why would you fucking do that? I shake off the feeling. _Why so jealous, Grey? She's just a friend._

"Nice car," she spouts as she surveys her surroundings.

"Thanks." I'm driving the Audi today. If she thinks _this_ is impressive, she should check out the Bugatti.

"You look good," she says, now looking directly at me.

 _Fuck, her eyes are still so blue.  
They look like swimming pools in June._

Coming to, I check to see if my three-quarter length leather trench coat and dark jeans are still in tact and stain free after lunching with my sisters.

 _Check, and check._  
I then look back at her. My heart practically stands still.

Damn, she's hot.

"Thanks. You look… _great_ ," I bleat like a blubbering idiot.  
 _Get a grip, Grey._

"Much different than what you saw last year, huh?" she points out wearing a shy smile.

My expression falls somewhat and I nod. I remember her looking so broken back then. She quickly picks up on my reaction.

" _This_ is what happens when your life finally lands on the right track. I can honestly say that my son has truly saved my life," she professes. The awe is ever present in her voice. I am deeply touched by what I am witnessing.

"I'm glad you have him back."

"Me too," she beams. "So – are we just going to sit here, or are we getting skinny lattes?"

 _Oh, hell_.

I break out of my umpteenth trance. "My bad," I chuckle. I quickly shift the car into gear and head straight out of the lot.

….

At the coffee shop, Sophie and I grab our lattes and sit at a small table by the window. Sitting across from me, she dons a warm smile that makes her appear to be genuinely glad to see me. This meeting is a completely different situation than the one that brought us together last time. I sincerely hope that she doesn't have any other problems knocking at her door.

"When you called, I forgot to ask if everything was going well with you," I say to her. Her smile immediately turns.

Shit, I was afraid of this.  
 _What in the world could it be now?_

"Things are going very well since I won my case. CPC still does random checks, but we are on such good terms now," she says. I search her face and she doesn't appear to be hopeless.

"That's good," I utter, uncertain of what the problem could possibly be.

"So the other day, I got a call from one of the lawyers who helped me win my case. Mr. and Mrs. Glenn are now fighting for visitation since they can't have primary custody."

My eyes narrow at the news. I don't claim to know this family, but what I do know is that Steven and Allison Glenn raised multiple shitty children. Therefore, I don't blame Sophie one bit for wanting to keep her son away from them.

"Can supervised visits be enforced?" I ask.

"Sure. But what I'm afraid of is…" she tries to find the words. "Because they're so upset with me for winning, they'll devise some elaborate plan to kidnap my son during a scheduled visit."

 _Holy shit._

"There are many Amber Alert cases where the child gets taken away. The non-custodial parent or grandparent disappears when it's time to drop off the child. I've also read of cases where the child gets kidnapped during a supervised visit."

"Damn, Sophie," I sigh.

"Yeah – I know. So needless to say, I've been rather nervous over the whole thing," she exhales.

I sit and ponder on what possibly could go wrong in this situation.

"Honestly, do you think you son's grandparents would do that?" I ask.

Sophie gives me a puzzled look before blinking it away.

"They have a chain of car dealerships in Nevada to run. Do you honestly think they'd throw that all away in order to kidnap your son?" I question.

"I don't trust them," she says point blank.

"Okay," I acquiesce. "If you want, I could have a security officer placed on site at all times with your son. I can also install surveillance around you and your mother's home if you want it. Whatever you think will keep your son safe."

Sophie visibly relaxes for the first time since she brought up her dilemma. "Oh gosh, Teddy – you sure it wouldn't be a bother for you? I honestly just wanted your advice. I wasn't expecting you to pay…"

"Sophie, _stop_. Really…it's no bother. I'm happy to do it. I'm glad you're finally asking for and accepting my help," I express.

She smiles ardently in return, and I could just melt right here in this wooden chair.

"Hey – by the way, what is your little boy's name?" I ask.

"Ronan. Ronan Taylor Glenn."

" _Ronan_ ," I say, testing it. I smile. "That's a really cool name."

She grins like a loving mother as she nods.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, faithful readers!_**

 ** _So for the next chapter, I won't spoil the big surprise. Let's just say that the script will flip. ;)_**

 ** _Don't worry, I won't leave you empty handed. Here's what I can say: Ana decides to act on impulse and she gets a very rude awakening. Also, Ted gives Sophie a call on a whim and they end up hanging out again._**

 ** _Until the next chapter! Thanks so much for reading. :) – ST2_**


	22. Chapter 22 - I Didn't Mean To Turn

**Chapter 22** **– I Didn't Mean To Turn You On**

 _Saturday, February 2, 2036  
(Continued)_

 _Sophie_

I can barely concentrate at work tonight.

He's even more gorgeous now than he was back then.  
It's unfathomable that this very concept could even be humanly possible.

That sexy face.  
That gorgeous, messy copper hair.  
That laugh.  
That smile.

All of those things – _amplified_.

He's far beyond that sweet, cuddly _Panda_ from long ago.  
Today, this boy is positively sex on legs.  
Just the very thought of him gives me goose bumps all over.  
Holy shit.

 _Cool down, Sophie._  
I am practically fanning myself.

I'm _here_ but _not here_ while pitching in at the front counter during the mad rush to check in guests. I'm less engaged than normal when a large account calls me in the back office in order to nail down the particulars for their big event taking place here in a couple of weeks. Part of me is slightly annoyed that they didn't wait until Monday to contact their personal planning rep.

But here in the world of customer service, you have to remain _on_ at all times – _even when your mind is elsewhere_.

I'm wondering right now how recent major events didn't come up in conversation at the coffee shop.

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't thrilled to read about Ted and Diana's broken engagement a few weeks back. Diana also parted ways with GEH, so it's rather apparent that their breakup wasn't amicable. I still don't know if she left willingly or if she was fired due to the wording of GEH's official response.

But if I had to guess, the bitch probably got fired.

Yes, I said _bitch_.

Who would've thought that Ted's so-called _'friend'_ who he randomly tags along to a lunch that _I_ only invited _him_ to – _I'm still sour about that_ – would end up getting engaged to him nearly four years later. I give Diana props; four years is a _long time_ to be patient with someone. She did what I couldn't do. _Wait._

And the moment when she finally won, she couldn't _wait_ to tell me.

I can't believe that she called out of the blue to tell me that she was now engaged to Ted, and that she would _'appreciate it if I never called him again'_. It wasn't as if I was calling Ted all the time; I'd only called him twice. He was helping me with my custody case.

I still to this day don't know who dropped the boatload of cash on my kickass lawyer. At first I thought it was Diana after she offered to do so as a condition _if_ I promised to not see Ted again – which I not-so-kindly turned down. _She had some nerve._ Now, I'm not so certain that it was Diana. She only wanted me far away from Ted. It wasn't as if she cared that I got my kid back.

I also wondered if Ted got fed up with how slow my pro-bono lawyer was moving along with the case before deciding to land me one of the best family lawyers in the business. I now doubt that too since he just offered to pay for security staff and surveillance in order to keep my son safe. I'm certain he has the money to do both, but I believe that he would've said so if he did hire my lawyer.

Yes – I was disheartened when I first heard of Ted's engagement. I had to constantly remind myself that I hurt him first. But the fact still didn't remove the pain that I felt on the inside. I may have wished him all the best in moving on with someone who could make him truly happy, but my heart refused to let go.

It's _so hard_ to pretend that you no longer love someone.  
 _It's even harder to pretend that you never really loved them in the first place._

But it had to be done. Ted's father was fixated on making sure that his one and only son at the time was absolutely perfect. Ted was a star in sports, a stellar pianist, and an academic genius that even tutored _me_ in calculus from time to time.

Mr. Grey also made sure that Ted was cultured – well, _all_ of his children – but he especially pushed Ted to have a wealthy mindset. Ted had to walk the walk and talk the talk of a billionaire's only son. Theodore Grey was indeed the face of a future generation of moguls.

Needless to say, he was the golden child; and a golden child had no business being with _'the help's'_ daughter. Granted I was nearly four years older than a teenaged Ted and babysat his sisters, so what did I expect as a reaction?

If I'd ever hoped that Ted and I would end up together like wealthy Linus Larrabee and his chauffer's daughter, Sabrina Fairchild, I was sadly mistaken.

Even when Ted was a toddler – before his sister Phoebe was born, Mr. Grey was extremely protective of his son whenever I came around. Ted and I would often play together in the meadow whenever I'd visit my father. Ted's dad would always hover around and _not so kindly_ remind me to be careful with his little boy.

Mr. Grey rarely smiled at me back then, so I was utterly convinced that he _never_ liked me. In a stark contrast, his wife Ana was _always_ very sweet to me. Ana and Ted were the reasons why I kept coming around.

Back then – I never thought that fifteen years later, Ted and I would have secret plans to run away to Chicago together after college graduation.

We fell in love.

Ted pilled on his course-load at Stanford just so that he and I could get to the rest of our lives much sooner. But when Teddy finished school just as he'd planned, he went his way; I went mine.

Sometimes I think back and laugh about all of the wild dreams that he and I would conjure up. ' _You'll run a global chain of hotels and spas, and I'll strategize their growth plan behind the scenes'_ , he'd say.

 _"We'll supersede the Hiltons and the Marriotts. We'll be unstoppable, Angel."_

Teddy believed in me so much – more than I ever had in myself. He was _everything_ to me. I always wished that I had his confidence. Ted could speak to anyone. He could walk up to a stranger and instantly make friends. He must've gotten that from his mother. His business savvy obviously comes from his father.

Ted is the best of each parent – the perfect guy.

I have no doubt that he's going to be even more famous than his parents. Part of me is surprised that he's still over at GEH. Him being there is probably part of a greater plan. Ted Grey will indeed make his own name. He's too brilliant to be ignored.

And that's why I had to let him go. I only would've held him back if I stayed.

* * *

 _Ana_

The whistle blows and the children gradually reconvene in class.  
I continue to stare mindlessly.

I can't believe that I haven't noticed this before. It never even dawned on me that this little guy could be Teddy's. When I walked in on Teddy and Sophie kissing that day, it never crossed my mind that things could've been so much deeper than what I saw. I was also aware that they were still sneaking around – even after Sophie stopped babysitting the girls. Christian made it a point to tell me what our son was up to, even though I didn't agree with his tactics.

 _But making a baby together? Wow._

Teddy would've been at Stanford while Sophie was pregnant. Were they still _a thing_ then? Did he take secret trips back home to Seattle just to see her? Did she go to California to see him?

I suddenly recall Teddy being nervous to tell his father that he was going to be taking classes at UW during his internship at Amazon. Why was he so worried about what his father would think concerning him occupying the same campus as Sophie?

There's obviously a reason.  
 _And maybe I'm staring at that reason in the pool._

As I watch Ronan smile and laugh with Topher and friends, I wonder why I never realized this before. Prior to today, I've been completely out of it. My hormones were all over the place back when Topher and I started coming here. Before the surgery, I was only paying mind to my son during class.

Today, I'm actually seeing Topher's little friend for the first time. It's as if the foggy glasses were removed and I can regard things much clearly now.

 _My God, that little boy looks so much like mine._

I'm very tempted to call or text Christian or Gail and ask what Taylor's ex-wife's name is. I instantly shoot down the idea.

 _What if I'm wrong?_

Still, I can't take my eyes off of that little boy.

….

I check my watch and realize that there are only five minutes remaining. I look across the pool and see Shannon chatting with one of the aquatic center's lifeguards. I know that we will soon come face to face.

 _I need to know who she is._

Then I realize that I shouldn't just walk up to the woman and blatantly ask if she's Sophie Taylor's mother. After some pondering, I finally resolve on a solution that will at least keep her on my radar screen until I figure things out.

 _Just don't frighten her away, Ana.  
You need her on your side. _

As soon as the whistle blows ending class, I immediately bend down and reach for Topher – lifting him out of the pool with a towel in hand. I pay my now damp shirt and jeans no mind.

"Mommy – _wait_! I wanna see Roman!"

"Sorry sweetheart, we've gotta hurry and get dressed fast," I breathe as I sprint us towards the locker room. "Promise, you'll see him before we leave." In spite of my intent, Topher wiggles and whines in my arms.

"Mommy! Put me down!"

He gets his wish once we reach the family's locker room. I begin rapidly tugging off Topher's swim trunks before frantically shoving his clothes back on.

"Mommy," he whines, wiggling restlessly.  
"Ouch!" he says when I snag his hair while pulling on his sweater.

"Oops – sorry honey," I murmur as I continue on my mad quest to get him dressed in time to catch Shannon and her grandson in the parking lot.

 _Shannon and **your** grandson._

I'm getting _way_ ahead of myself. I don't even know if Shannon's related to Sophie. If anything, Sophie looks more like Taylor than Shannon. Therefore, I could be way off base here.

So I quickly table the thought as I press on to get Topher completely dressed. Eventually, he and I are out waiting in the atrium near the exit. Soon we begin seeing a series of mothers and their children filing out. Many of them say goodbye to Topher and I. Although I'm distracted with thinking about the task at hand, I smile cordially and wish them each a great week.

After waiting fifteen minutes, the exiting crowd suddenly comes to a halt.  
 _Still, no sight of Shannon and Ronan._

"Mommy? Can we go?" Topher whines, tugging my coat.

"In a second, honey. I promise." I'm beginning to wonder if Shannon and Ronan have already left. There _is_ more than one exit here. My hope sinks.

"I'm hungry," Topher murmurs this time.

Oh boy – those are indeed the magic words. Christian would certainly have a fit if he knew that I was keeping our son from a meal. My chat with Shannon will probably have to wait until next week, which I am thoroughly dreading. I know that I'm not going to be able to focus on anything else for an entire week.

Just before I consider throwing in the towel, I finally spot Shannon heading in our direction. I look down and find Ronan clinging to her hand. My heart begins to beat a little bit faster the closer he approaches.

 _Oh my God.  
It really is Teddy._

"Topher!" Ronan squeals, snatching me out of my thoughts.

"Roman!"

The two boys break free from their accompanying grownups and meet each other in the middle. Shannon smirks and laughs, while I smile and flash her a _'what can you do with those two'_ expression along with a shrug. When Shannon and I are nearly face-to-face, I grow even more nervous.

 _Just do it Ana._

"I'm sure Ronan will be calling Topher tonight," Shannon speaks first.

I smile and nod. "Hey – I was wondering if you and I could chat alone sometime when the boys aren't around," I propose.

"Sure. Right now, I'm taking Ronan home for lunch. His mom cooked him his favorite – macaroni with _extra_ cheese."

I sigh. _That was Teddy's favorite, too._

"I'm watching him while his mother works the night shift," Shannon adds.

"It doesn't have to be today. I know you already have my cell number, but I wanted to give you my business card in case you wanted to reach me by other means." Already in hand, I extend my arm and give it to her.

"Thank you," she beams. She glances quickly at the card, but then does a double take. Her smile drops dramatically.

"Oh my God," she murmurs. "Are _you_ …?"

"Yes – Anastasia Grey. I had a thought earlier and was wondering if maybe the two of us could go grab coffee or something. Whatever day and time works best for you."

"Grey Enterprises. Co-CEO," Shannon quietly reads off the card. " _I_ …" she stammers. Her face looks deeply troubled as if she's reliving something traumatic. Suddenly her expression hardens and I'm beginning to feel discouraged.

 _Maybe this was a mistake._

"Is meeting over coffee a problem?" I ask, confused.

"My ex-husband works for you," she says plainly.

I gasp. Holy shit. I was right.  
Ronan _is_ Sophie's little boy.

"He's now married to your housekeeper," she bitterly adds.

"Jason Taylor is your ex," I state as fact. Shannon says nothing but the look in her contemplating eyes tells me everything that I need to know.

This is the same ex who went back and forth with Jason on visitation privileges back when Sophie was just a little girl. It was quite evident back then that this wasn't a very good time for Taylor. Things did eventually get better once their joint custody situation was all sorted out and Sophie began coming around the property.

Oh my God. Sophie.  
Ronan is _really_ Sophie's little boy.

"Please forgive me for being frank, but I am not a big fan of your husband," Shannon reveals in a reserved tone. However, her animosity towards Christian is more than evident in her delivery.

 _Oh boy._

" _Look_ …Shannon, I don't know exactly what happened back then. You and Jason were already divorced by the time I met Christian. I've never even heard your name uttered…"

Shannon raises her hand to cease my tangent. "I understand. Just know that there's not a good history there. Granted I've never met your husband face to face, but he has always been a constant reminder of the demise of my marriage. The _hotshot twenty-one-year-old mogul_ who never took _no_ for an answer – not even at two o'clock in the morning."

Her words strike me. She's obviously still in a lot of pain after all these years.

"Jason would leap tall buildings for that young man. And there I sat – at home…alone with our daughter who was younger than Ronan at the time," she painfully recalls.

My heart drops. "I'm so sorry." It's all I can muster up to say.

There are no words that will take away this woman's pain. I know how demanding working for my husband can be. I've witnessed him call Andrea on a Saturday while she's supposed to be on vacation. And Taylor _did_ and _continues to do_ everything and more for Christian and our family. Never did I even consider that Taylor's sacrifices would ultimately cost him his marriage and later, his daughter.

Feeling deep regret, I glance over at the two boys who are gleefully leapfrogging the square tiles on the atrium floor. The two best friends look so innocent and carefree – clueless as to what's going on in the conflicted minds of the two adults that brought them here.

 _Topher and Ronan could be related._  
Shannon pulls me out of my thoughts.

"It's not your fault. Perhaps it's not even all Mr. Grey's fault. Maybe Jason couldn't take living a mundane life with me. He wasn't quite the same man when he returned from overseas. I'm also certain that my constant nagging didn't help our marriage any." She chuckles, but it sounds insincere. "I didn't have an understanding bone in my body back then." Her expression looks deeply reflective. If I didn't have compassion for this woman before – _which I did_ , I certainly do now.

"Please, Shannon. Give me a call," I appeal.

"Why?" she says in anguish. "What is it you want?"

"I only want to talk – _that's all_ …and to offer you my help if you need it. Before today – before I even knew who you were, you and your daughter's story has always resonated with me. And now that I know who you really are, I'm even more inclined to make myself available to you. I just hope that you call so that we can talk more…away from the children, of course," I say in a sincere plea.

She sighs before eventually tucking my card safely into her bag. She answers with a _barely there_ nod before turning away to retrieve Ronan.

I really hope that she calls, in spite of how she may feel about my husband.

 _I'm going to need her help to get to the bottom of what's now eating me._

* * *

 _Wednesday, February 6, 2036_

 _Ted_

"Earth to Teddy."

I blink and look directly at my sister who sits opposite my desk for our update meeting. "Yeah, I heard you," I lie.

As Phoebe goes on a tirade over how disjointed a certain faction of finance is, my mind wanders back to four days ago.

 _Sophie._

Ever since we had coffee together, I can't seem to shake her out of my head. But regardless of that fact, I still need to keep my shit together. If I don't, Phoebe will begin asking questions.

"How would you like to shadow me in the next executive staff meeting?" I ask suddenly.

She gapes at me. "Seriously? What will Dad and Mom think about that?"

"You're my interim support manager. You have every right to be there. I want you to soak it all in. If I ever call in sick, you need to be able to step in for me. Could you do that?"

She nods enthusiastically. "Absolutely."

"I don't know what your plans are after you graduate in May. But if you want, I'd like to have you on full time as Diana's replacement. That's if it's okay with Hanson since you are technically still under his headcount. "

"You're joking, right?" she chuckles. I give her a look that's void of humor. Her grin quickly washes away. "You're serious. I mean… _yeah_ – sure. I'd love to be on with you full time. I love this project," she says humbly.

"The downside to working here is that your position will expire in less than four years. By then, PTF will be fully integrated into the GEH landscape and our entire team will have to locate new jobs within the company," I remind her.

"I know. Maybe Hanson will take me back in his department," she laughs.

"Hanson will probably be general manager or VP by then."

"Yeah, for sure," she echoes. "Maybe I'll take his old job."

I laugh. "No way. You'll be far beyond where Hanson is today with the sort of work you'll be undertaking with PTF."

"Where else can I go?" she says, genuinely at a loss.

"Mark my words," I say, pointing at her adamantly. "If Mom and Dad are still working here in 2040, you will be their number two. If they're gone, you'll be GEH's new solo CEO."

Phoebe gapes at me as if I just grew another head. "Bullshit. You're next in line. There's a snowball's chance in hell that you'll be working for me. It's more like the other way around."

"I never said I'd be working for you, genius," I smirk.

She gasps once my words register. " _Wha_ …what are you talking about? Are you thinking about leaving after PTF?"

"Before."

"Are you kidding?! Do Dad and Mom know?"

I shake my head. "That's why I need you to be one hundred percent on board. Everything I know about this business, _you'll_ need to know. If I decide to walk away before 2040, I will look to you to step in my place and run PTF until it's done. Then I need you to move forward and kick ass on behalf of all of your brothers and sisters," I say with a proud smile.

Phoebe continues to look at me dumbfounded. "But where are you going?"

I take in a deep breath before answering her. "I'm planning on paving my own way, little sis. Whatever I decide to do next, I won't have to answer to _anyone_ …only myself."

She narrows her eyes. "What is it? How long has this been in the works?"

"There's nothing concrete right now. Just rest assured that once I have something cooking, you'd be the first to know about it. For now, I'll need you to keep this between us. In the meantime, continue to soak in all of the knowledge that I'll be throwing your way. Deal?"

She closes her eyes and flashes me a doubtful grin.  
"You're not going anywhere, future CEO. I won't let you."

"From one future CEO to another, you'll soon see how my leaving here is for the absolute best," I smile. Phoebe continues to shake her head in insistent disagreement.

….

After meeting with Phoebe, I check my email and see the very first daily surveillance report on Sophie's personal protection services. I'm quite pleased with how things are coming along. I smile because I finally have a good excuse to call her. _I wonder what shift she's working at the hotel today. Well if she doesn't pick up – I'll simply leave her a message._

I pick up my cell and locate her in the _received calls_ list. When the line rings, I'm shocked that she quickly picks up.

"Hey Ted," she says warmly, sending chills down my spine.  
 _Settle down, Grey._

"Hey there. Hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."

"Not at all. What's up?"

"I wanted to let you know that everything's in place. I just received my first report today."

"Yes – I was just copied on that email, too. Also, one of the guys on patrol introduced himself last night so that I knew who he was. I can't thank you enough for making me feel so much safer," she says in sincere appreciation.

"You're welcome. I'm glad I could help. The best protection team's on the job, so continue to rest easy," I say in reassurance. Well, they're actually _second best_ to her father and _his_ protection team – but I keep that thought to myself.

"Thank you," she says again, but in a silky tone that fucking makes my entire body melt.

"Hey – are you free for lunch today?" The moment the words come tumbling out of my big mouth, I immediately feel like a jackass. _Dammit, Ted._

She's probably with her son and working the night shift tonight. _She doesn't have time for you, Grey. Quit dreaming._

"Yeah, sure," she responds.

 _What! She accepted?_  
Right away, the lump in my throat dissolves.

….

Sophie meets me at a pizzeria downtown.

I still can't get over how attractive she looks in her work uniform. In four years, Sophie has completely transformed into an incredibly gorgeous woman. She has always been beautiful. But there's something else about her these days – I don't know if it's her recent positive twist of fate with her legal troubles behind her and a new job, or if it's the effects of motherhood and having her son back.

Whatever it is, it's very becoming of her.

The two of us order the slice of the day with a side salad and stick to drinking plain ol' water.

"So, how's things at GEH?" Sophie asks all of a sudden.

"Thing's are going well. A month ago, I didn't think that I'd be saying that," I sigh.

"Really? What happened?"

"I had to fire my support manager. Then after that, I broke up with her," I say casually.

"Diana," she gasps in surprise. I nod. "What happened? If you don't mind me asking."

"Without getting into the details, she did something a while back that caused a riff between my dad and Phoebe and her boyfriend Hanson – who both work for the company."

"Hanson? Your good friend Hanson who used to come over to the house when you were in high school?"

I nod. "Diana worked for Hanson back when the incident happened. Her actions also put tens of millions of dollars at risk and cost a handful of people their jobs."

"What?!" she gapes. I nod in response. "Did she do it on purpose?" I nod again. "Whoa – _that's_ …" Sophie is at a loss for words.

"Yeah, what she did was dirty. Needless to say, we're no longer together. And I want to apologize for her calling you, by the way," I say with sincere regret.

"No – don't be sorry. It's fine. Honestly, I understand why she did what she did."

I squint at her, confused. "Either way, it wasn't her place to call you. She should've talked to me if she had any issues with me helping you."

Sophie smirks. "Something tells me that she'd already told you how she felt over the matter, at least once. Or else she wouldn't have taken things into her own hands."

I smile guiltily and lower my head.

"Boys can be rather stubborn," she snickers. She then quickly changes the subject. "So – tell me all about your little brother." Her beautiful beaming smile is infectious.

 _God, help me._

"Mr. Topher Grey," I chuckle to myself. "Well, he's a very smart kid. Funny as hell. On Mondays, the two of us have a reoccurring business lunch locked on our calendars."

Sophie laughs. "That's so adorable."

"His driver brings him to wherever we're meeting that day. Topher comes to the restaurant dressed to the nines in a little suit and everything. Oh – and his light-up Minions sneakers," I smile fondly.

"My gosh!" she cracks up.

"Yeah, and he's a little heartbreaker, too. Just this week, he snapped at the waitress who kept touching him on his arm. He told her to leave him alone and to _'touch boys her own age'_."

Sophie is losing it at this point.

"So that's my baby brother. What about your son? _Ronan_ – is it?"

Sophie smile fades away and then she nods. She's sober and contemplative, which initially concerns me.

"Ronan possesses a quiet wisdom. When you don't think he's listening, he's _really_ listening," she starts. She contemplates some more before resuming. "One day, he'd overheard a conversation between my mother and I. I was telling her about an ongoing issue I was having. Not a big deal. Two days later, Ronan had come up with a strategic solution for that problem. I was completely blown away."

I wince. "Was it technology related?"

She laughs, "Of course."

"Kids come out of the womb knowing how to work technology. It's the craziest thing."

"Seriously. It's the obvious answer to why he knew exactly what to do. I certainly didn't teach him how to program my coffee maker," she giggles.

 _Oh – that laugh.  
_ I close my eyes and fully take it in.

"Your little guy seems quite impressive. He surely takes after you, no doubt," I remark with a kind smile. I notice a slight turn in her expression before she forces a smile and changes the subject, yet again.

"You remember my friend Stacey from the Marriott? I lived with her until I was able to move back in with my mom and son."

"Yes – I remember."

"Last week, I was able to get her in at the Olympic with me. It was the least I could do since she did me a solid."

"That's great," I reply. "So are things going well for you there? Are you still a manager trainee?"

"I got bumped up to 3rd assistant manager two weeks ago. Things are going very well. Almost _too_ well," she laughs.

"Holy shit, Soph – that's fantastic," I gush.

"That's how I was able to pull Stacey in. To this day, I still don't know how I got the job as manager trainee in the first place. I hadn't reached out to the Olympic. Instead, they reached out to me for some reason."

I gape at her.

"Yeah," she says after witnessing my bewildered expression. "I suspected that it was my old manager at the Marriot who might've had a hand in it, but he denies it."

 _Her dream job.  
The expensive lawyer._

I wonder who is Sophie's guardian angel.

* * *

 _Saturday, February 9, 2036_

 _Ana_

Even though things have been rather productive at work, everything else around me has seemed to remain stagnant. A week's gone by and still, no call from Shannon. Topher hadn't received a call from Ronan this week either. I tell myself that the two of them were probably just tied up this week and unable to make contact.

 _We'll see them both on Saturday, Ana.  
Stop stressing out about it._

Better yet, maybe Sophie will actually bring Ronan in this week and I'll have a chance to catch up with her. She's always been a sweet young lady. I don't know where she works that requires her to be present on Saturdays. I knew that she once worked at the downtown Marriott when she used to babysit the girls. I knew that she wanted to go into hospitality as a career after college.

Then I think back to the time when she would've lost custody of her son. My hope suddenly sinks. _But Shannon said that her daughter had recently gotten a raise._ Fortunately, things would eventually turn around for Sophie. She even has her own place now. _I wonder where she and Ronan live._

Believe it or not, I resisted the urge to dig for more information on Shannon and Sophie. I may be married to Christian Grey, but I am _not_ Christian Grey. Besides, he has ways of finding out if I've been snooping around. He _is_ the master snooper, after all. So I just simply sit back and wait to find out exactly what I need to know the old fashioned way: By asking questions.

I'm nervous this early afternoon as Topher and I head off to swim class. Every time my little boy brings up his little friend, my heart stops. _What if Topher's best friend is **really** his nephew? Is my life truly a real life soap opera? Thank God those reality TV show cameras are gone._ If I thought that circumventing around the _birds and the bees_ talk with Topher was tough… Boy oh boy – _this one_ could be a doozy.

That's if my suspicions are correct.  
Hopefully I'll get some inkling today on whether they are or aren't.

After Topher's all set in his swim trunks, he and I head over to the pool area. We're rather early, so my big boy heads over all by himself to the sprinklers and the slide. Time passes on and more kids and moms begin filing in. Still, no sight of Shannon or Ronan.

Soon, the whistle blows calling for class to begin. My stomach drops.

"Mommy! Where's Roman?" I hear my son call out from across the pool. I shrug my shoulders in reply, wondering the exact same thing. My heart practically breaks for two reasons. One of them is staring at me with a disappointed face. The other reason is due to a new fear that has just entered into the picture.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope that Shannon didn't pull her grandson out of class because she dislikes Christian Grey so much, that she doesn't want his son playing with her grandson. Now _that_ would be unreasonable and childish.

Later at the ten-minute break when there's still no sight of Shannon and Ronan, I walk up to the swim instructor and ask if Topher's friend called in sick this afternoon. It's then when I'm informed that Ronan was pulled from the class permanently. A lump forms in my throat. And to make matters worse, Topher is not his same joyful self in class today.

 _I'm dreading telling him that his best friend will not be coming back here._

When the kids are back in session, I decide to try the last phone number that Ronan dialed Topher from. That number is no longer in service.

I feel sick.

* * *

 _Monday, February 11, 2036_

 _Ted_

My little brother and me just got together for lunch at Club Sahara. Even though Topher can be quiet and introspective from time to time, he's especially not himself today.

"How's swim class coming along?" I start the conversation – thinking that having him talk about his favorite weekly event will suddenly bring him out of his funk.

"I don't like it anymore," he pouts.

Jeez. I wonder what went wrong this week. "What happened, champ?"

"Roman's my best friend and I'm not going to see him anymore. His granny stopped taking him to swim class."

"Wow Toph – that's a bummer. You said that he used to call you. Do you still have his phone number?" Topher sadly shrugs his shoulders in response. "He's called you on Mom's phone before, so I'm certain that you can call him back. I'd bet Roman would be stoked to hear from you," I say to him with a hopeful smile.

As I say the name ' _Roman_ ', I immediately think about the name of Sophie's little boy, ' _Ronan_ '. Ronan is a much more badass name than ' _Roman_ '. Perhaps Topher's best pal's mom could've taken some kid-naming tips from Sophie.

"I need to tell him that creepy Tabitha misses him," he says before bursting out laughing. It's infectious.

"Does this Tabitha like your friend?" I eventually ask, still chuckling.

"She likes to bother me and Roman. She follows us everywhere in swim class," Topher says, rolling his eyes.

"So she likes the both of you, huh?" I tease.

"Yeah – but we don't like her."

"Is she not pretty?"

"Eww – _no_! She's gross," he scowls, repulsed. "She's not pretty. Not like Diana."

I wince at my little brother bringing up the name of my former fiancée.

"Are you still friends with her?" Topher asks.

"No – I'm afraid not, little homey," I sigh.

"Hey…did you ever get in the bed with Diana and play the _Mommy and Daddy_ game with her?"

 _Oh, bloody hell._

I gape at my little brother in horror but quickly snap out of it. _This sounds like the work of Ana Grey's twisted story telling._ I then recall the incident that would've spurred him being told this malarkey in the first place. _Mom is going to get an earful from me._ And even though I want to laugh, I maintain my composure.

"Look, Toph – you know you're not supposed to play that game until you're all grown up, right?" I say in a stern voice. Oh no – I'm starting to sound just like my father.

"Yeah, yeah," he sighs. "Only mommies and daddies can play."

"Exactly," I concur.

"So you haven't played, then? Because you're not a daddy?"

Okay. So this a little more complicated. Do I just outright lie to the boy? I mean this is _Topher C. Grey_. He's probably the smartest kid out of all us Greys if I'm being totally honest. If I ever lie to him, with my luck, he _will_ eventually catch it.

"I'm _not_ a daddy."  
Hey, it's not a lie.

* * *

 _Sophie_

I'm so glad that I have the day off tomorrow.

I promised Ronan a while back that I'd take him to see that new animated movie he's been so excited to see. He doesn't know it yet, but I already bought tickets for the matinee showing. I can't wait to see his sweet smile once he realizes where I'm taking him.

It's the very least I can do after I had Mom pull him out of swim class. The moment she told me that the nice lady and her little boy who she and Ronan have been hanging around with at the aquatic center were actually Ana Grey and her youngest child, I knew that it would be too risky to keep my son there.

 _"You know she probably told my dad once she got home," I said._

That was enough for my mother to quickly change her phone number. It also helps that she can't stand the Greys, so convincing her to un-enroll Ronan from swim class wasn't a hard feat. I truly hate doing this to my little boy, but it's all for the best…well, for _everyone_ – at least until I can figure things out.

As I sit in the employee lounge at work, my mind automatically shifts to doing what it does. _I wonder what Ted's up to right now._

It's really not safe for me to keep seeing Ted, but I can't help it. I enjoy being around with him. Being in his presence always lifts me up. But how long are we going to keep pretending?

 _How long will it be before one of us starts to fall again?_

The very thought takes me back to one of the many reasons why I had to break things off with him in the first place.

….

 _Tuesday, May 14, 2030  
(Flashback)_

I sit in my father's study in his house located on the Greys' vast property. Even though I'm beyond a legal adult, I sit with my head hanging low like a petulant child.

From a distance, I hear him – quietly urging my stepmother to leave us alone until the office door finally closes. Then the sound of his footsteps returns to my side before he takes a seat.

"Mr. Grey insisted on speaking to you himself, but I told him that I was more than capable of talking to my own daughter." I can hear the venom in his voice. It shakes me. Finally, I lift up my head and then wince when I catch his ice-cold demeanor.

"You are not to see Ted anymore. Am I making myself clear?"

 _Oh no._ I gape at him. "Why not?! Teddy and I are…"

"The boy is seventeen! He's still in high school, for Christ's sake!" he growls at me.

"I don't care! I _love_ him!" I cry out.

"Sophie," he says, now in a calmer voice but just as stern as always. "Let's just use our God-given brains here. Ted Grey is _seventeen years old_. You are twenty-one and in college."

"He'll be in college this fall!" I snap.

"Ted Grey is the heir to a multi-billion dollar empire."

His words bring a dull pain to my chest.

"And I'm not!" I say bitterly.

"He has everything to lose, Sophie."

"And I have _nothing_ to lose!" I hiss spitefully.

My own father thinks that Teddy is too good for me. I am almost ashamed to call him my dad. Right now, I want to get up and run far, far away from this place and never see his face again.

My father suddenly springs up from his chair and arches down towards me like an interrogator hovers over his prime suspect.

"He. Is. My. Boss'. Son." Each word he speaks is like a punch to the gut. I stare into his burning eyes and I suddenly feel chilled to the bone.

"And _I_ have **everything** to lose," he growls, glowering dead at me.

* * *

 _Monday, February 11, 2036_

 _(The Present)_

 _Ted_

It's late afternoon and except for the time that I spent with Topher, I've constantly been thinking about Sophie. I really enjoyed our time together at lunch last week.

So without thinking, I decide to send her a text while sitting in my office.

 ** _Ted  
_** 2:22p: _Hey. I hope you're enjoying your Monday so far._

I'm surprised that she responds almost immediately.

 ** _Sophie  
_** 2:23p: _Not too bad. Actually, I'm treating today like its Friday  
since I'm off tomorrow._

 ** _Ted  
_** 2:23p: _Lucky you. Got anything fun planned on your day off?_

 ** _Sophie  
_** 2:24p: _Taking my son out to a movie and a late lunch._

 ** _Ted  
_** 2:24p: _That's really cool. So you're working the afternoon shift today?_

 ** _Sophie  
_** 2:25p: _Believe it or not, I worked the morning shift today.  
I'm off in a couple of hours._

 _Ted, don't you even think about asking her if she has plans tonight.  
She's a single mother who doesn't have time to catch up with old friends. _

But like Sophie once said, _boys are stubborn_.

 ** _Ted  
_** 2:27p: _Are you free for dinner tonight?_

The moment I hit send, I instantly regret it. I stare at the phone, now laying flat on my desk. One minute passes. Two minutes. I'm slowly going crazy. _Stop freaking out, Grey. Maybe she's helping out a customer right now._

I spin my chair back towards my keyboard and occupy myself with emails. But in the back of my mind, I can't help but feel foolish. _She doesn't want to see you._ Suddenly a buzz on the table startles me. I quickly rotate my chair around and check the screen on my phone.

 ** _Sophie  
_** 2:35p: _Sure. Where would you like to meet?_

A goofy ass grin takes over my face.

….

 _Wednesday, February 27, 2036  
(Over two weeks later)_

These past couple of weeks have been… _enjoyable_. This is the most fun I've had with the opposite sex without making out or fucking.

I've been spending quite a bit of time with Sophie lately. We've done lunch just about every other day when her schedule permits. And on the days that she couldn't do lunch, we've done dinner instead. In fact, we've dined for a total of eight nights. I light up in her very presence. Her smile and laugh are even more captivating these days. She is addicting. Just simply being around her, I'm completely drawn in.

We're actually having dinner again tonight.

But there's something deep within that calls to me each time I'm with her. I know that spending all of this time alone with her is a huge mistake, but I can't help it. When I'm by myself, I'm constantly thinking of her.

Her crystal blue eyes.  
Her golden blond hair.  
That sweet angelic voice.  
Her very scent.

I'm trying my damnedest not to fall for her again because I still feel so burned by women in general. Diana betrayed me behind my back, while Sophie betrayed me to my face.

Back when I was struggling with being away from my family, when I desperately missed her, Sophie abandoned me. She was faithful ( _I think_ ) for two years in college, yet she practically decides on the day she enters her senior year that she never truly loved me.

 _"Look, I thought I had feelings for you.  
But now I understand that my feelings were all wrong."_

Her words back then still rock me to my core. What she basically told me was that what she felt for me back then wasn't real – and what I felt for her wasn't real. Yet, I've never felt anything quite like that ever again. _Not even with my fiancée._

So when will Sophie and I finally address the elephant in the room?  
And what _is_ this, anyway?

I've convinced myself that I'm simply getting to know this _new Sophie_. I'm well aware after spending time with her these past two weeks that this isn't the same girl from years ago. This is a grown ass woman…a single mother struggling to survive and to keep her and her little boy safe.

I still haven't met Ronan, and I don't want to pressure her into introducing us until she's ready _. Slow down, Grey. It's not like you're officially dating her anyway. You're just two single people hanging out._

In spite of _whatever-this-is_ , I still ponder over inviting Sophie to Phoebe's big 21st birthday party. It all goes down two week's from Saturday at my parents' place. But then I quickly remind myself how Sophie's attendance would _never_ happen. She's still not speaking to her dad. And I know that my folks will probably frown at me for inviting the sitter who I got caught skipping school with and kissing in the family's theater room.

….

Five minutes after returning to my office from a meeting, my mother peeks her head through my open door.

"Hey," she beams.

"Hey."

She enters and soon sits on the edge of my desk. "It's been a while since you and I last talked – work _unrelated_ , that is. How've you been?"

I study her has she studies me, wondering who will cave first. Obviously she already has preconceived ideas about what she thinks is going on with me.

It's been many weeks since Diana and I have broken up. Aside weekly lunches with my brother and the occasional lunch here and there with Phoebe, I haven't been spending that much time with family. The realization finally dawns on me that I've been intentionally avoiding my parents these days. And it has _nothing_ to do with my breakup with Diana.

"I'm good," I say, with a puzzled gaze.

"Well – I was thinking about letting your father handle dinner alone tonight with your sisters and brother. I'd like to take my oldest son out to eat tonight. You've been working so hard lately and I hate that you've been dining alone," she says lovingly.

 _But I haven't been dining alone._ I wince at her. Hell – I hate telling my own mother _'no'_ , but I already have plans tonight.

"I'd love to – _really_. But I can't," I say awkwardly.

She blinks. Suddenly, her eyes grow wide.  
"Have you've been seeing someone new?"

 _Fuck._ I knew it. I'm such a sucker when it comes to lying to women.

"Mom, it's not a big deal. It's just a friend, nothing major. I'm not seeking anything right now," I say, treading carefully.

"I understand. Well, I hope that she's smart, nice…and sweet," she says lovingly. "But of course _Diana_ was all those things," she sighs bitterly.

"Mom."

" _Okay_ , okay," she acquiesces.

"Again, it's not a big deal. And it will stay that way," I say firmly.

"Alright," she smirks. "But let's not forgot how you and the last one started out." I shake my head at my mother in defeat, but she raises both hands. "I'm just saying. I have faith that you won't get burned twice. Just don't rule anything out. And the moment you think that it's becoming something… _more_ , you make sure to introduce her to your mother. I will read her," she says with a wink.

"No doubt," I chuckle.

"I just don't want you to feel resentful towards love after what happened." She pauses as if something just struck her, but she soon waves it off. "Not every girl is going to be like Diana."

I swallow instead of responding.

"One of these days, you're going to have to open up your heart and let yourself love again," my mother muses.

I close my eyes at her words. For the past few weeks, I've been contemplating off and on whether I even loved Diana in the first place. It's true…I enjoyed being around her. I also pictured us having a future together. But did I _love_ her?

 _No, not like I loved Sophie._

The thought springs my eyes back open. I absolutely cannot go down this road again with Sophie. I know that spending all of this time with her is becoming a slippery slope. However, I can't help but be drawn to her. It's as if there's something deep down inside of me that desperately needs what's buried inside of her.

I wish I could just tell my mother what's _really_ been going on with me.

But I can't.

* * *

 _Ana_

As I sit behind my desk, I think about how different Teddy's been acting lately. And it's not necessarily _different_ in a bad way. Dare I say that he's almost back to his old self?

However, I can't ignore the fact that he's still been distancing himself from the family while submerging himself into his workload. But unlike prior weeks, he hasn't been as _um_ …robotic? Believe it or not, he actually seems to be much more lively. I also loved how he has taken his sister Phoebe completely under his wing. Perhaps he's enjoying spending time with friends, especially this _new friend_ in particular.

Maybe Teddy's on the right track with his life after the breakup, although he's been fairly silent about his life outside of work. So when I paid him a visit in his office a short time ago to find out where his head was, I didn't feel comfortable bringing up that Topher's best friend from swim class is actually Sophie Taylor's son.

It just didn't seem like a good time to open up old wounds. After much back and forth with myself, I figured that Teddy would've been away at college right around the time that Sophie would have conceived Ronan.

I'm not sure if the two were actively having sex during those days. As Teddy's mother, the very notion doesn't necessarily sit well with me. Even though he would have been at the age of consent, the fact remains that Christian and I trusted Sophie to be the mature one when we weren't around. We hired her to watch our younger children.

But still – I can't envision sweet Sophie as a predator. Besides, my son isn't one hundred percent innocent. However, Christian and I drilled the importance of safe sex into all of our children. Teddy is smart enough to know not to ever take any chances. Hell – even as a kid, he was deathly afraid of STDs. In middle school, he showed me disgusting photos in his sex ed text book and vowed that none of these cases would _ever_ happen to him.

So knowing what I know about these two, I don't understand where I got the hair-brained idea of Sophie's child possibly being Teddy's. I mean…why would Sophie get engaged to someone else if that child truly belonged to Teddy? Why would she keep that life changing news from him? It just doesn't make any sense to me.

Regardless of all the facts, I can't help but to speculate otherwise whenever Ronan enters my thoughts. I no longer see him as Topher's best friend anymore. Instead, I see _little Teddy_ , and that's eerie as hell.

Something else that doesn't make sense is the way that Shannon yanked Ronan from swim. I'm nervous to tell Christian or even Gail about Taylor's ex-wife and grandson being in Topher's swim class. I know that Taylor and Sophie have been estranged for quite some time. Again, I'm not one for opening old wounds if I don't have to.

However, why did Shannon feel the need to change her phone number so soon? Does she really hate my husband _that much_ , or does she have something else to hide?

No matter how much I try and talk myself out of it, all of these things will continue to rack my brain until I finally get answers.

* * *

 ** _A/N: First of all, let me apologize if today's update looked weird in your email box. I had to use an annoying workaround in order to post it since FF's been on the fritz for the past two days._** ** _So how did you like the twist of adding a third POV? :) I thought that it was important to hear what Sophie had to say because it'll clear up so many things moving forward. I apologize for the shorter chapter, but things needed to end here in order to set up for the next phase of our story._**

 ** _In the next chapter – LOTS of things go down, but I'll only tease a few. After spending so much time with Ted, guilt begins to take its toll on Sophie. She suddenly comes clean to him about past feelings – which Ted doesn't necessarily receive well. After leaving Sophie in a huff, Ted stumbles into another ex…the last person he wanted to see._**

 ** _Anyone getting Freed/Bitchtroll vibes right about now? :D_**

 ** _Also in the next chapter – we'll hear from Sophie on how her ex Aiden first came into the picture. Needless to say, the drama kicks up another notch. ;) So far, chapter 23 is slated for just Ted & Sophie's POV. We'll hear from Ana again in chapter 24._**

 ** _I hope you had a great Christmas this past Monday. If all goes well, the next update will go up by New Year's Eve. Trust me, it'll be just the chapter to carry us into the New Year. :D Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	23. Chapter 23 - Hello (It's Me)

**Chapter 23 – Hello (It's Me)**

 _Friday, February 29, 2036_

 _Ted_

"That was _so_ hilarious!" she laughs boisterously.

I can't stop smiling.

Sophie and I are strolling across the parking lot after exiting the movie theatre. It's way past dark and the reflective beams of the street lamps bounce off the damp pavement. Wearing black high heels along with a black and gray plaid peacoat over a gold sweater and jeans, she grabs hold of my right arm with both hands. The action causes my stomach to flutter.

 _Easy now, Grey.  
She's only holding on to you so that she doesn't fall. _

She then recalls a scene from the comedy that we just saw, throwing her head over to the side in more laughter. Her hair is now pressed up against my shoulder. It's at this moment when I know for a fact that I am fucking toast.

 _There's no use in fighting it any more, Grey.  
You know __**exactly**_ _what this is now._

I'd taken Sophie out to dinner earlier. After having a wonderful time with her over a meal, I started to dread ending our evening. Although we sat in the restaurant and talked for over two hours straight, I insisted that we go and check out a movie. I knew that her mother had her son for the night.

 _I should've known better than to plan this on a leap-day night.  
This isn't an ordinary day. _

After the movie, we get to my car and I walk her to the passenger side. I try to ignore the older gentleman and what looks to be his two teenaged sons practically foaming at the mouth as they admire my Bugatti. Sophie looks dead at them before turning to me.

"Ted, this car should be illegal," she whispers, fighting a grin.

"I'm sure it is in certain states," I quip. I turn to the three guys and the father's now attempting to pull his sons away.

"Yo, that ride's _mad_ sweet!" one of the young men catcalls as he can't help but to look back. I give him a thumbs-up and thank him with a head nod.

"Boys and their love for toys," Sophie muses, pulling my attention back to her. "My son would go crazy if he saw this, too."

Before I can offer bringing the car over to her place and taking her son out for a quick spin around the block, it dawns on me that Sophie and I are now both leaning against it. Her backside is pressed against the door, while my hand is propped on the edge of the curved roof. My body is just inches away from hers.

My blue eyes lock into hers. Her smile fades away until her lips slightly part.  
 _Shit. This is it._

I slowly lean in closer until our lips finally meet.  
 _We're here.  
Finally._

It starts out as a sweet, gentile kiss. I kiss her. She kisses me back. But it's when her hand threads into my hair that things start to heat up. Now, my body is pressed against hers. Our breaths are audible and we soon introduce our tongues.

Oh fuck – I want this girl.  
I've _always_ wanted her.

Soon, both of her hands are in my hair, while both of my hands trace her hips.  
 _Holy shit – that escalated quickly._

"Teddy," she gasps softly before our lips reconnect. This is the first time that we've kissed in many years, and it feels just like magic. It's as if this is how it was always supposed to be. Whatever happened in between _'us'_ was only to bring her and I back around full circle.

As we continue to make out, a thought enters my mind.

 _How are you going to explain this, Grey?  
How is this exactly going to work? _

I don't have the answers.  
I _need_ answers.

And just as if the same thought had occurred to her, we instantly pull away from each other.

" _I_ …I'm so…" she trembles.

"No… _please_. I'm sorry," I say first.

"No – don't be," she gasps. She now caresses my cheek.

" _Maybe_ …we should…take it slow," I murmur, still shaken by what just took place. She nods emphatically.

"Good," I smile. "Let's get you home to your little boy."

When we arrive in front of her building, she grips my arm, halting me from getting out to open the door for her.

"It's fine. I had a wonderful time tonight," she smiles adoringly. My heart leaps.

"Me too." Without thinking, I lean in and give her a sweet peck on her lips.

"Sweet dreams, Blonde Angel."

"Sleep tight, Panda," she croons before opening the door to leave.

 _It's as if we never lost a beat._

As I watch her walk over to the glass doors, hips moving deliciously from side to side, gorgeous golden blond hair swaying in the wind – I know that it's for the best to end our date here. _Yes – this was a date, Grey._ We _had to_ stop it here.

It's because I know that I desperately want to make love to her.  
I _really_ wanted to take her home with me tonight.

Hell, she was the very one who showed me how to please a lady. Usually one's _first_ can be quite unmemorable. But in my case, no one that I've ever had since her has even come close.

Bar none, Sophie Taylor remains as the best lover I've ever had.

And now I know that I won't be able to sleep tonight unless I whack off in the shower. And porn is useless these days, especially when it has to contend with the knockout that just entered inside of that building.

* * *

 _Saturday, March 8, 2036  
(About a week later)_

 _Sophie_

The closer I get to Ted, the guiltier I feel.

I'm playing with fire by continuing to see him. But this isn't just an ordinary fire. This fire has the power to spread wildly. Eventually, many people are going to get burnt.

After many weeks of going out, Ted has never asked to see my son. But as we grow closer – and as our frequent kissing may possibly lead into something more, I don't know how long I can keep my son out of the picture. I'm counting on the day when Ted will eventually ask to meet Ronan.

 _Holy shit._

Since I've been seeing Ted a lot these days, I've been keeping it a secret from my mother. And even that's proving to be difficult these days. I told her that I've been seeing some random guy who I met at work. I said that he was some hotshot client who had a business lunch at the hotel and insisted on having my phone number. When my mother asked for his name, I randomly threw out ' _TJ_ '.

I also recently hired a good babysitter who lives in our building. This way, I don't have to call my mother every time I want to go out with Ted. If she knew how often we were seeing each other, she would insist on meeting him.

 _"I know that you're grown, Sophie. I'm only concerned for Ronan.  
He's already been through enough due to your poor choice in men."_

My mother's words from a while ago still pierce me to this day.

 _If she knew everything, would she still feel the same way?_

Tonight, my mother is visiting my aunt in Tacoma until Tuesday. Ronan tagged along since my cousin Daphne has two little boys who are very close to his age. I'm sure he's out there having a blast.

Without a doubt, Ronan Taylor Glenn is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Anyone in their right mind would yearn to guard that precious little boy with their whole life. But from the start, I put my greatest joy at risk.

 _Fucking Aiden Glenn._

I curse the day that I chose Aiden over Ted. If a guy that you just met at a college party gets overly excited when you tell him that your birthday's a day shy of 4/20 – **_run_** , don't walk.

And at first I _did_ run. But like Ted, Aiden was very persistent. Knowing that I was a hospitality management major, he found a way to camp out in front of the Foster building where most of my classes were held. It didn't dawn on me right away that the commons building, library, upper-classman dorms, and even the Art building where most of Aiden's classes were are nowhere near Foster.

Aiden would make me sit with him under the fir tree nearby where he'd have Starbucks waiting for me. I never accepted the coffee from him back then, but it didn't stop him from bringing it nearly every day. I'd wonder how a stoner-dressed art major had all that money to waste. Starbucks isn't cheap.

 _"So if you won't take coffee from me, when are you going to let me take you out?_ " he'd say.

I would tell him countless times that I had a boyfriend.

 _"So where is he?" he says, pretending to look around afraid._

 _"He doesn't go here."_

 _"So where does he go?"_

 _"I'm not telling you," I smirk._

 _"Well I'll just tell myself that he goes to Oxford.  
And since the Atlantic Ocean separates us, he'll have no clue that  
I plan on stealing you away from him," he confidently beams._

Aiden was extremely playful and could always make me laugh – _easily_.

In the weeks that followed, he'd rag on me every so often about my _mystery boyfriend_. To get him off my back, I'd lied and said that he went to Harvard.

From that moment on, he'd playfully ask me the same question each time he saw me.

 _"Did you break up with_ _ **Mr. Harvard**_ _yet?"_

I told him that there was no use in pestering me; I was going to marry my boyfriend and move to Chicago as soon as we graduated.

 _"And I've only got time on my side, beautiful Sophie. One of these days,  
my persistence will finally pay off," he vowed with a persuaded grin._

Sophomore year flew by. Classes, internships, babysitting, campus parties, midterms, more parties, and final exams… And in between those stood Aiden Glenn – still camped out in front of my building and clutching two coffees. I was never really attracted to him – and even if I were, it wouldn't have mattered. I was totally and completely devoted to Ted. And more than anything, I had faith that Ted's plan for us would ultimately work out in the end.

That summer during recess after sophomore year, I arrived one day at the Greys' to babysit the girls. It was then when I had the first of many rude awakenings. Weeping out on the front steps was an extremely attractive girl. She was ardently begging from the other side of the door for Ted to come out.

My heart stood still. If this girl was so desperate to see him and cause a scene in front of his parents, I sorely wondered what it was Ted did to her in the first place. Disheartened, I quietly crept into the house through the garage instead.

I'd later find out that the same girl was elected homecoming queen four years in a row. The most popular girl in school desperately wanted _my_ boyfriend. She couldn't understand why Ted didn't want her when he wasn't visibly dating anyone else. She had no clue about me because Ted and I had to remain a secret. Ted would later assure me that nothing ever happened between them. He insisted that for the past few years of high school, she had delusions of them getting together. Until Ted came along, no one has ever told her ' _no'_.

It was then when I started to realize that things would inevitably change between Ted and I. At seventeen, the brilliant, drop dead gorgeous son of billionaires would be heading off to college in the fall. He'd be surrounded by hundreds of girls who are beautiful, rich, and popular – just like the girl crying at his doorstep. I knew that our dreams of running away together after college could possibly fade away the moment Ted realized that I wasn't the only fish in the sea. The thought was slowly squeezing the life out of me.

I needed to mentally prepare myself for the day Ted would call and tell me that it was over. Either that, or I would soon discover tagged photos of him on social media either hugged up on or kissing his new college sweetheart.

That fall, Ted went away to Stanford and I was back at UW. And like old times, Aiden was right there after class waiting patiently for me with two cups.

 _"Welcome back. Did you break up with Mr. Harvard yet?"_

 _I laugh. "He's at Stanford."_

 _"So he moved closer to keep better tabs over you, huh?  
Still, he's not here and I am. And I'm not giving up until you go out with me."_

I smiled and shook my head at his foolish persistence. One day I decided to finally take that second cup from him.

 _"I'm getting closer, aren't I?" he beams._

 _I laugh._

The entire junior year, Aiden continued to stalk in front of my building with a lukewarm cinnamon latte in hand just for me.

I'd always laugh and shake my head at him before taking the cup away.

 _"So are you and Mr. Stanford still a thing?" he began asking._

 _"Yes, we are."_

Little did Aiden know, his persistence would finally pay off at the start of senior year.

* * *

 _Ted_

When I called to see what Sophie's plans were tonight for dinner, she offered to cook at her place instead, since her son is out of town with his grandmother.

 _"Let's have a home cooked meal for a change.  
Aren't you sick of going out to eat?" she says over the phone. _

I chuckle at the thought. She's absolutely right. The last time I ate a home cooked meal was at my folks', and God knows how long that's been. _Oh_ – Mom did bring me leftovers to work a few times. But other than that, I stopped cooking at home ever since Diana left. I also no longer have the part-time housekeeper doing the cooking.

 _Dinner for one is so fucking lame._

Now, Sophie gets to cook for me. I recall how fantastic of a cook she was. She'd cook for my sisters whenever she would watch them. She would also help her stepmom in the kitchen all the time. Sophie used to tell me that she learned her greatest dishes from Mrs. Taylor. Anything not as extravagant, such as the quick and easy meals for busy moms, she learned from her actual mother.

 _I think her mother's name is Shannon, if I correctly recall._

Sophie buzzes me into the main lobby when I arrive. Shortly afterwards, I'm received by her gorgeous face – waiting for me through the open door of her 8th floor apartment. Even with her thick light blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, and wearing an obscure rock band's t-shirt with jeans, she looks simply amazing.

"Welcome," she greets with a shy smile.

"Thanks for having me," I answer, placing a hand on her arm in a gentle embrace. She leans into it and I graze a kiss against her soft cheek.

We enter her apartment and the cooking she's done so far smells divine. I scan my new surroundings, taking in the unique artwork positioned throughout. Guests are immediately in the living room once they cross the threshold. There's a pretty nice view of the city peering through the open pewter-colored panel blinds. The color palate is mostly earth tones, but it's so Sophie. It's exactly how I imagined her place to look.

What I don't see are photographs of her and her family. I don't even spot pictures of her little boy. I am tempted to ask, but I hold off. _Perhaps she's waiting until she gets more recent photos of him._

"Nice place," I say as I follow her directly to the adjoining kitchen.

"Thanks."

I saunter over to the stove and lift off the lid from the simmering stockpot.  
"Smells good," I say, taking in one good whiff. "Smells familiar."

"You should know what that is. It's my stepmother's bolognaise," she smirks.

I glance over to the left on the counter and see a large cloth-covered bowl sitting next to a pasta press.

"Fresh pasta?" I smirk. "You know – the stuff in the package is much faster."

"You hold your tongue Theodore Grey," she playfully scolds. "You _never_ couple factory-dried premade pasta with _that_ sauce. It's an abomination."

"Well _excuse me_ , ma'am. I didn't mean to offend the chef," I respond in a silky tone. "And would it be far fetched for me to assume that you'll also be making your garlic bread from scratch?" I tease.

"I'd have you know that I'd already baked bread this morning. Garlic cloves – already roasted."

I gape at her. If she's not Supergirl, I don't know who is.

 _Although, I did know Wonder Woman once._

I quickly dismiss the thought. Sophie is _not_ Diana. Although she did betray me like Diana at one time, I don't believe that Sophie would ever do that again. She and I were much younger back then.

….

"Highest complements to the chef. That was simply _amazing_ ," I rave. I'm practically massaging my full belly at the tiny dinette table that seats two. I imagine Sophie and her faceless little boy enjoying all of their meals together here.

"Thank you. I couldn't have done it without your help. You're not so bad in the kitchen yourself. You obviously got that from your mom. Besides, I've never seen your dad in the kitchen," she smirks.

"Oh – and nor would you _want_ to see him there." She gapes as if I'm being much too cruel. "Don't get me wrong, my father is as masterful as Steve Jobs in the boardroom. He's Mozart on the piano. But Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen, he is _not_." Sophie giggles. "Now Ramsay _Bolton_ – possibly."

" _Who_?" she frowns, puzzled.

"Game of Thrones. Ever watch that old series?" Sophie shakes her head. "Ramsay Bolton was the asshole who got off on dismembering people as a means of torture."

Sophie bursts out laughing straight from her gut. Her laughter is so contagious that I am cracking up right along with her.

"Was your father _that bad_ – overall?" she asks once we both settle down.

My lips form a straight line as I tilt my head to the side in deep contemplation. "It did seem that way. It's been so long ago, that I don't even remember him being the jerk that I'm certain I thought he was back when I was a teenager. But now, he reminds me of the dad that I knew as a little boy. I don't know. I can't explain it," I shake my head in bewilderment.

"So things are good with you two now?" Sophie asks. Her expression looks pensive. It's as if my impending answer means something deep to her. It's unnerving.

"Sure." I study her reaction, but she gives nothing away. "Maybe because he's older. Perhaps my little brother has something to do with him not being as high-strung as he used to be. Again, I don't know."

"Or maybe he's just happy that you're finally running the business with him and your mom," she offers.

"Maybe."

As I watch her from across the table, I am beginning to think that something else is going on here. I'm starting to feel slightly uneasy. But before I can question her, she promptly changes the subject.

"Hey, do you wanna watch TV and eat chocolate for dessert?"

"Chocolate?" I smirk bewildered.

"Mm hmm," she hums, grinning sinfully.

I narrow my eyes at her and she winces.  
"What _kind_ of chocolate?" I murmur.

The moment she swallows in response, I suddenly realize what I'm doing.  
 _You're such a scoundrel, Grey._

" _Dark_ chocolate," she says softly. "With salted caramel." I catch her tongue peeking through her lips. My cock automatically twitches.

" _Yum_ ," I rasp.

After we clear the table, put away the food, and load the dishwasher – the two of us convene on the sofa in her living room.

"What movie do you want to watch? Have you seen the most recent _Thor_?" she asks. I nod. " _Figures_. What about _Sky Quest_?"

"I'm a nerd, Sophie. _Of course_ I've seen it," I smirk proudly. She giggles.

"Well, the only other suggestions I have are chick flicks. I'm sure you don't want to see any of those."

"Yeah, I definitely won't be paying attention," I scoff with a smile.

Suddenly, my hand reflexively aims for a stray hair that stands out on her head. I smooth it down and her eyes close. Even though the offending strand is now flat, I continue to stroke her silky hair. She starts to hum, and it sends chills down my spine. I scoot in closer to her and she lets go of both the remote and the bag of chocolates.

Soon, I am kissing her neck. _Her skin is extremely soft._ I can hear her breathing starting to pick up and it sends my body soaring. I lift my head and take her mouth. I blindly remove her hair tie and her hair falls down past her shoulders. It isn't long before she and I are kissing like bandits. She moans. I moan.

 _Holy shit, I'm making out on the couch with Sophie Taylor._ There's a thrill that rushes over me. _The girl of my dreams – I have her once again._ When her hands are in my hair, I push the remote and the candy to the floor and gently lay her on her back.

When I'm lying on top of her, our kissing becomes even more heated. Soon, my hand slides up her flat stomach and to her breasts where I tease them through the fabric of her t-shirt.

" _Oh_ ," she gasps.

My lips slide down from hers and back to her neck.

" _Teddy_ ," she exhales.

"Angel," I moan as my other hand caresses her thigh through her jeans.

"Did you love me?" she breathes. I stop dead in my tracks. I raise my head and look down at her. We're both hyperventilating in passion. However, she also appears to be extremely conflicted. "Back then. Did you really love me?" she clarifies.

"Of course I did," I frown. I don't stop myself from saying what's exactly on my heart. "I did. I _do_."

Sophie blinks. "You… _still_?"

I smile and nod. "Baby, I've never stopped."

I catch a tear rolling down the side of her face. I quickly catch it and wipe it away.  
 _Why is she crying?_

" _I_ …love you, too," she shivers.

Before she can say anything else, I swoop down and taste her sweet kiss once more.

She and I moan as we devour each other like never before. Her hands are moving up and down my back. Soon, I can feel her going under my shirt and touching my bare skin.

"I've only ever truly loved one woman," I whisper in between kissing her.

I don't think I ever felt so alive as I do now. _She just said that she loved me._ I won't dwell on the past. All I can think about is this moment – the here and the now. It's just Sophie and me. And as long as I can remember, that's how it's always been in my heart.

No matter how hard we try to fight it, this is exactly how it's supposed to be. She left me for another, had a child – and now that dude's gone and I'm here again. It's her and I, as it always should have been.

 _Just me and my Angel._

"I want to make love to you," I implore softly in her ear.

" _Yes_ ," gasps in a desperate plea.

We kiss even harder. I begin rocking up against her – my erection firmly pressed against her thigh. Soon, she's yanking my shirt off. I want to laugh at her sense of urgency, but I'm just too fucking hot and bothered.

I _desperately_ need this girl. Before I can reach down and take her shirt off too, she grabs hold of my face with both hands. Then she practically gazes into my soul. I can also see the pain that resides deep down inside of her.

She knows that we have wasted precious time being apart. I want to tell her that none of that old shit she's thinking about matters anymore.

 _We're here now, my sweet Sophie._

"I never, _ever_ stopped loving you. When I told you over the phone that what we had was just some teenaged star-crossed love affair, I was lying," she pours out. Tears are now streaming full-fledge down the sides of her face. My heart drops.

Wait…she _lied_?

In an instant, she catches the fall of my expression.  
" _I know_ – I'm so sorry. I had to tell you that back then."

" _Huh_?" I frown. "You _had to_ tell me that you didn't _love me_?" I recite to her.

"I know – it was _stupid_ ," she sobs. "But I did it for you. I was madly in love with you, but I had to lie about it in order to save you from the misery that being with me could bring."

I'm completely at a loss.

She _lied_?  
So why did she leave me?  
Why did she get pregnant by some other guy if she truly loved _me_?

"I was _so_ _scared_ ," she adds, weeping. "Scared that you would finally wake up and realize that I was just a _teenage phase_ for you."

She's now talking out of her ass.  
She's all over the place.

"Sophie," I say, now indignant. I roll off of her and sit upright on the sofa. She soon joins me. I turn to her and look her straight in the eye. "You didn't give me a chance. I never even had a chance." I can feel the lava boiling in my belly.

 _She lied?!_

"I got my first wakeup call when I realized that girls were clamoring to be with you. That one girl that begged you to take her to prom. I knew that once you left for Stanford, I never stood a chance. I knew that I'd never be enough for you. Just like my mom wasn't enough for my dad," she says sorrowfully.

 _Christ, not this._ When she throws another curveball, I know that she's still not being completely honest with me. She's babbling off a bunch of bullshit in order to distract from the _real_ problem.

Sophie lied to me – point blank. She lied and caused us a lot of pain for no good reason. She bailed because she couldn't handle it. She bailed because she didn't trust me. She bailed, because she didn't have faith in what we had.

 _She's a fucking coward._

"I didn't want to be the one you had before you landed your dream girl in college," she utters through the tears.

"Bullshit!" I growl. " _You_ lied because _you_ were scared of my father and _your_ father!" She blinks at me in horror.

"And you _weren't_?!" she cries out.

"No! I told you that I didn't care what my parents thought about us! And I thought that you felt the same! But _no_ – instead of fighting for me…for _us_ , you turned around and hopped on the first dick you saw on campus!"

When Sophie gasps, I know it's way too late to take back the words. But I meant them. She hurt me to my very core. Those old, buried feelings have risen back up and are now fresh. I flash back to roaming aimlessly around the UW campus that day, searching for her. Then I would later get news from my sister that she just saw Sophie holding hands with another guy.

That day started the downward spiral.  
Sophie absolutely _ruined_ me.

I glare at her and she's now glaring at me.

"Are you saying that I was just a whore who only wanted to get laid?" she sputters angrily.

"Well if the fucking shoe fits!" I spew spitefully.

"I think you should leave," she responds, resolute.

* * *

 _Sunday, March 9, 2036_

 _Sophie_

I've been out of my mind since last night. I barely even slept.

My brain keeps playing back that moment when he walked out that door. _You really blew it this time, Sophie._ I'm crushed over the pain that I caused Ted back then, _and_ now. I feel guilty for all of the shit that I put us through. I even feel guilty for involving Aiden.

It's true – Aiden was a fuckup. However, he understood his limits. He knew that he couldn't go back home to Nevada, or he'd end up like his brothers. What I didn't count on was the stress of my impending childbirth coupled with our upcoming nuptials bringing on insurmountable levels of pressure. Compound that with nagging parents in Nevada who constantly hounded him about coming home, and his insane course load, and it was the recipe for disaster that pushed him right back into drugs.

And I could have just as easily made some of those things go away. I'd often thought about breaking things off and putting the baby up for adoption. However, I knew for certain that Aiden's parents wouldn't allow it. They were very much looking forward to me having their grandson.

But Aiden wanted nothing to do with his folks. He knew that as soon as he graduated, his father would have him neglect his dream of being an artist and force him to work at his dealerships in Nevada in order to provide for the baby and me. In fact, his father apparently needed Aiden more than ever due to some unspoken drama happening back home with his two older brothers.

So Aiden eventually finds a reason for us to stay in Seattle in the form of a job at a local community college. I wasn't pleased about it because I no longer wanted to remain in Seattle. Staying here was always too risky.

Each day I walked out the door, I'd pray not to run into anyone I knew. I'd constantly look over my shoulder to ensure that I wasn't being followed. I was terrified that my father would begin to care again and insist on meeting his grandson.

And that absolutely _could not_ happen.

I think back to when Ted skipped class in high school _again_ , after we got caught the first time. He came up to my job at the Marriott. Ted didn't know it at the time, but my father was spying on me.

When I left work that day, my father told me that I was _very lucky_ that he was the one _'on watch'_ and not Luke Sawyer or any other CPP who would have immediately told Mr. Grey without seeking him first.

It was then when I knew that no matter what Ted's plans were, my father would always be right there. There were no secrets. There were no hideaways. No matter what Ted and I did, my father would surely be there to put a stop to us.

I tried to tell this to Ted, but he refused to listen. So I decided to push my fears aside. I pretended that I didn't care if Ted and I tried our best to remain discrete and still got caught. Ted didn't care, so why should I – _right_?

Well, that guise could only work for so long.

A year later, the stakes would be much higher. It was then when I would have to pull out the big guns so that my father would clear out of the way for good.

* * *

 _Tuesday, August 26, 2031  
(Flashback)_

Classes have barely resumed, yet the drama is already in full swing.

For some reason, I can't help but feel like I'm still a child. My father's coming to campus to meet me for coffee later, and I still don't know why. Why couldn't he save the text and trip and simply put me out of my misery over the phone?

Unfortunately, that's not how Jason Taylor operates. Around him I feel like I'm a prisoner of war, and he's the special operations officer that he was back in the military, itching to interrogate the hell out of me.

It's been _years_ since my own father told me that he was proud of me. From the moment he found out that I was having a love affair with his boss' son, everything changed. I was no longer _Daddy's little girl_.

But what if he's had a sudden change of heart? What if I'm being too guarded? Maybe my father does truly care about me. What if I told him what's _really_ going on with me? If I shared my deepest fears with him, would he fold me into his loving arms and hold me tight? Would he protect me like a _real_ father should?

And just for a moment, I thought that I could finally be free with him. I was aching to tell him what was going on with my state of mind. But instead of meeting kind, understanding eyes at the coffee shop, I'm instead greeted by an emotionless cyborg that appears to despise my very existence.

"I know you're still seeing Ted," he starts with a scowl. I wince at him.

"Are you following me?" I gasp.

"He came to see you at your job a week ago," he says through gritted teeth, completely ignoring what I asked.

"Ted's an adult now. And _you're_ still following me," I glower in anger.

"You are selfish and have no regard for anyone else but yourself," he snaps in a quiet rage. "And I'll be _damned_ if you cost me and your stepmother our long-time, high-salary jobs with the Greys."

So _that's_ it. It's about the money.

It's _always_ been about the money.

If money means more to him than his only child's happiness, then I don't ever want to see this man's face for as long as I live. I spring up like a bullet from the chamber and my stool practically slides into the next table.

"I am _grown_ now! And I want nothing else to do with you! Now leave me alone and stop following me around, or I will take out a restraining order!"

"Now Sophie, _cal_ …"

"I am well over twenty-one now, and following me around is considered stalking!" I scream so that everyone in the coffee shop and beyond can hear.

When he sees that I absolutely refuse to settle down, he angrily stalks off.

* * *

 _Sunday, March 9, 2036  
(The Present)_

After my father left campus that day, something felt very different. Ted was always determined that we _'stick to the plan'_ , but I never believed that things would ever turn out so smoothly with two meddling fathers so hell bent on keeping us apart.

If anyone had anything to lose the most beside my father and me, it was Ted. Ted Grey had the fate of the world on his shoulders. He was young and I was certain that as he matured, he would eventually outgrow me.

Later on, I'd find myself up against a wall needing to make a life altering decision. So after things came to a head, after I threatened my own father with a restraining order, I decided that it was best to move on from Ted first.

But once senior year was in full swing, my father would later find out that I was spending a lot of time with Aiden. I thought that the news would make him feel at ease being that Aiden _wasn't_ the son of his boss. But _no_ , he began insisting on meeting him.

That's when I knew that my father was well aware of Aiden's checkered past. So over the phone, I blurted out that I was pregnant and engaged to be married to Aiden. And when my father vehemently disapproved, I told him that I had no desire to ever speak to him or his _wife_ ever again.

That day, I finally took out a restraining order.

Years later, I am still carrying that cargo room-sized baggage. Part of me thinks that it's a good thing that Ted's angry with me now. At least with him out of the picture once more, I don't have to worry about dealing with my shitty father.

Even still, the pain of losing your only true love – _again,_ doesn't ache any less.

I still love Ted Grey with all my heart.

….

When it's time for me to head out to work, I'm out of it and functioning on very little sleep. I try to suck it up as best I can, applying more foundation than normal to mask the dark circles around my eyes. A short time later, I hop in my car, fire her up, and set off to work the night shift.

* * *

 _Ted_

After working all day on a Sunday, desperately trying to take my mind off of Sophie, I eventually reach a gridlock just past 8 o'clock at night. The moment I shut down my computer, the tormenting thoughts immediately flood back in.

 _Why, Sophie?  
Why did you have to put us through that?_

I don't understand how she could keep silent about this for all of these years. I've ached for this girl. And she could've put an end to all of that before moving on with someone else.

Does she seriously expect for me to just write off the fact that she moved on with another guy simply because she couldn't bear to see me eventually walk away from her?

If that isn't the biggest steaming pile of bullshit, I don't know what is.

 _Dammit, Sophie!_

And no matter how much I wish that I never loved her in the first place, somehow that seems like a lie. She fucking hurt me deep, but I still can't imagine never loving her from the start.

I'm so conflicted right now. It's been almost twenty-four hours since she told me to leave her apartment, but the whole ordeal is still so fresh in my mind. I can't endure another sleepless night. She hasn't tried to call me, and I'll be damned if I call her since I'm still so pissed at her.

So instead of driving home from Grey House, I walk ten blocks to the bar in hopes of my favorite bartender being on duty. She makes a kickass Old Fashioned. Perhaps I'll have three or five tonight.

It's _really_ been one of those weekends.

When I get there, my girl is in full swing behind the bar, zooming from one end to the other. The joint seems almost filled to capacity, which is very odd for a non-football Sunday night. My favorite bartender looks up and beams bright when she notices me. She catches a patron clearing his stool, so she eagerly waves me over to that spot. I quickly weave through the standing crowd and take the spot before someone else does.

"Hey handsome," she croons.

"Jo – I'm _so_ _glad_ to see you," I sigh.

"That bad, huh? Don't worry, boo. I got you."

Without asking what I want, she expeditiously begins to whip me up an Old Fashioned. _Good girl._

Jo's probably closer to Sophie's age – around 27 or 28. A bob-cut brunette, Jo may be petite in stature, but her presence is large and full of life. And just like your stereotypical friendly neighborhood bartender, she's an excellent listener. In less than a minute and a half, she has my finished cocktail and napkin sliding right in front of me.

"You only come here on a work night, so don't tell me that you worked another Sunday. You said you were gunna quit that shit," she scolds.

I laugh. "Yeah, I was."

"You got into a fight with your new ol' lady, huh?" she smirks.

I sigh and slightly lower my head. "You know me too well, Jo."

"I thought this one was solid. You even came here less when you started seeing her regularly," she says, leaning against the bar. I take a huge gulp from my glass until half of the contents are gone.

"She was actually my very first girlfriend," I mumble.

 _Hell, Grey. Why don't you pay her extra for listening to all of your stupid problems?_

"A rekindled flame? No shit," she says, eyes wide in surprise. "So I take it that someone brought up some old drama that never got resolved? That started the fight, huh?"

"More like old drama that I never had a clue even existed. Look Jo, you know I love you girl," I smirk. "But I love your Old Fashioneds more."

She laughs loud. "Point taken, babe. You just raise that sexy arm of yours whenever you run dry," she purrs. I wink and she turns on her heel.

I've downed my second by the time ten minutes have passed.

"Sweetheart, you want me to have Phil make you a plate of deluxe nachos?" Jo says to me when I call her over to make me a third drink. I shake my head. "I have a feeling that you haven't eaten today. And I don't want to keep making Old Fashioneds without anything else sitting in your stomach."

I sigh knowing that she's right. "Go ahead. And I'll take water and another Old Fashioned while you're at it," I grin.

"You bet," she smiles back.

The crowd eventually begins to thin out on the eve before Monday. Jo stops every so often to tell me stories about crazy customers that she's encountered during the day. She thought she'd have to call her boyfriend Phil from out of the kitchen on one customer who got a little out of hand with the flirting. The poor bastard is lucky that he stopped when he did, because Phil is _not_ a little guy. Anyone in their right mind would _not_ want to fuck with Phil.

After three cocktails and almost two glasses of water, I'm finally ready to break the seal. I cut away from the bar to use the men's room and return shortly afterwards. When I stand by my seat, Jo stares right at me as if she'd seen a ghost. I'm taken aback.

"Babe – you wanna hook me up with another cocktail?" I say with humor, hoping that she'd smile back. She turns to the left and then turns back to me before tightening her mouth. That's when I realize that she's trying to tell me something. When my eyes follow to where she was looking before she turned to me, I see Diana standing four feet away. She stares pitifully at me.

Oh fuck, not this shit.  
Not today.

Diana and I used to come here all the time after work. This is how we both met Jo. Jo was there when I began coming here alone without Diana. I never told Jo exactly what happened, but she understood that our breakup was rather messy.

Without thinking, I reach for my wallet and drop a hundred dollar bill for Jo. "That's my cue to leave," I murmur. I blow Jo a kiss, and she calmly nods before I head for the exit.

….

"Ted!" she cries out.

 _Why?  
_ Why did she follow me outside?

"Ted! Please!"

I turn around and there she stands. Diana's just as attractive as she's always been on the outside. She doesn't look battered or torn as Sophie did that one time at Grey House. She's wearing designer shoes, carries a designer bag, and dons a designer full-length trench coat. Her shiny black hair is up in a perfectly pinned bun – not a strand out of place.

But she is utterly tarnished and soiled in my sight.  
I'll never see her the same way again.

"I just need a moment of your time. I promise – I won't keep you long," she pleads.

 _Bad idea, Grey. Just walk away.  
_ I sigh and shut my eyes in anguish.  
 _Why me?_

Diana gradually closes the gap between us. "I've been drinking a little, so I apologize in advance," she prefaces.

I laugh involuntarily – maybe because _I've_ been drinking, too.  
Jo always adds in more liquor than filler.

"I think you know that I'm not truly an evil person. I just did a really shitty thing. Even after I did it, I felt absolutely awful about it. I especially felt disgusted after I saw how it affected Hanson and Phoebe. I never wanted to see Phoebe leave Grey House."

Fuck… _really_?  
Why does she think that I still care about this?

She's gone.  
I fired her.  
End of story.

"Look Diana…"

"Ted – let me finish," she ceases me with a raised hand. "Please."

I close my eyes yet again.  
 _Why are you still here, Grey?  
_ My focus then returns to her.

"For these past two months, it's been extremely hard to live with myself. I've sought counseling, so I am actively trying to improve."

 _Well, whoopty-damn-do…good for you_ – I promptly think to myself.

"I'm glad to hear that you're _trying to improve_ ," I utter insincerely. I then decide to ask the burning question – _Was anyone else insane enough to hire you?_

"Are you back to work?" I inquire. When she nods, I nearly piss my pants.

"I ended up landing a job at Amazon with the group that you and I once interned with," she says quietly.

 _Well fuck me up sideways._ If she has any more nutty tricks up her sleeve, Jeff Bezos's kid won't be _nearly_ as kind as I was to her.

"I was grateful that when my current employer called your HR department, all they could disclose was that I was employed for the span of time I listed on my resume. Also the GEH press release didn't state how I separated from the company. Needless to say, that really helped me in landing the job."

Diana's fortunate that Amazon isn't beholden to GEH. We are partners in a certain capacity, but we are equally as strong in our own regard. So she really did luck out. I wasn't expecting her to land another job so quickly.

"Well, I'm glad you're getting back on your feet and seeking counseling." _Now go away and let me be._ It's bad enough that I'm already dealing with one dishonest ex these days.

"Look Ted – I never sought out to be CEO. I only wanted to be the rock that everyone else could count on," she says before swallowing and taking a calming breath. I didn't realize how nervous she'd been before. She is truly plowing through some nerves to be able to speak to me.

"I knew from the moment I met you that you were _very_ special. You were meant to be a global industry leader. So the second we started working together at GEH, I latched on to that realization. I never cared about the money. I never cared about the fame. I only wanted to see the rightful person get that CEO job whenever it became available. And as bad as I felt about what I did to Hanson and Phoebe – if I didn't do it, you wouldn't be where you are today."

 _I was fucking right the first time.  
I should've kept walking. _

But instead of finally going with my gut, I practically get right up in her face and point an accusing finger at her.

"That is bullshit!" I shout. She winces in fear. "Ever since I came out of the womb, I was being groomed to take the top job! My father told me this!" Diana looks shocked by this news. "So yeah – what you did was completely unnecessary and absolutely uncalled for!"

"I didn't know. I'm _so sorry_. Your mother had mentioned Phoebe possibly being next in line, but something in me knew that you were the better Grey offspring for the job," she says earnestly.

I sigh in exceeding frustration. "Even so, it wasn't your place to make that call," I say disapprovingly. She nods like a petulant child. "If my parents wanted Phoebe as CEO, then I would've been totally fine with that."

"But I _wasn't_ fine with it, and I let that fact blind me," she confesses.

A dull pain begins to permeate in my chest. "Did you ever think to ask what it was that _I_ wanted?" I lob back to her. Diana gazes at me with sorrowful eyes. She's stunned silent.

"See – that's just what I thought. If you'd asked, I would've told you that I didn't _want_ to be CEO of GEH. You assumed that you knew everything about me. And you know what they say when you _assume_."

"You're right," she says with regret evident in her tone. "Perhaps it's a good thing that we didn't get married."

"Ya _think_?" I sneer.

"Well, if I ever get lucky again and meet someone as wonderful as you, I won't make that same mistake. I will ask my guy what his dreams are and will fully support him. I'm sorry that I didn't do that for you."

She sounds as if she's sobbing, but I can't tell by looking at her under the night's sky. We are still some distance apart.

"Diana…it's okay. You're back at Amazon now. Everything happens for a reason," I say, trying to give her some consolation. I'm just beyond ready to leave at this point. This encounter is awkward as hell.

"I just feel like total shit. I'm sorry about that thing with Sophie, too. You had a history with her. You grew up together. I had no right to tell you not to help her."

I nearly stop breathing at her words.

"You know…her entire situation showed me that you would even help me the very same if I ever needed it," she surmises.

Diana may be a basket case, but she wasn't always this way. Four years ago, she was a very firm shoulder for me to lean on. She was my best friend who would later make a big mistake that sacrificed not only our relationship, but also our solid friendship. But it doesn't cancel the fact that she once was there for me when I needed her most.

"Absolutely – in a heartbeat," I say adamantly.

"I know. You're a great guy, Ted. Any girl in this world would be so blessed to have you. _I_ …I'm just sorry that it wasn't me," she stutters. Now I finally see the streetlights reflecting the tears on her face.

"Look – Diana, it's fine. It's okay," I say in a poor attempt to comfort her. "I wasn't a very good boyfriend to you, I'll admit."

"You were _great_ …"

"No. No, I wasn't. I wasn't completely devoted to you," I fess.

" _Wha_ …what do you mean?" she gasps.

 _Holy shit_. I know exactly what she's thinking.

" _No_ , I never cheated."

"Oh, thank God," she deeply sighs in relief.

"I just focused more on work than I did on us. And when you started working for me, our relationship was all about work. Even at home, all we talked about was the business. We didn't take the time to know each other like we once did back when we were long distant friends. I completely took you for granted when we ended up together."

She takes in my words and exhales deeply. "I don't think that you loved me the way you really wanted to. That's why I resented Sophie so much. I figured that she completely destroyed your capacity to ever love like that again," Diana says with a shaky voice.

 _Holy fuck._

What a deep conversation to have, especially after what took place last night.  
I stand there in silence, parsing through her words over and over again.

"I'd be lying if I told you that you were far off in your speculation," I finally say to her.

"I know," she nods in total understanding. "I loved you Ted. I mean _really_ loved you."

Her confession guts me.  
 _I really don't know what to say to that._

She continues. "But even so, I don't think that I ever loved you as much as you loved _her_."

Her words practically decimate me.

"And it's not like you would ever bring her up out the blue," she adds. "I'd ask you about her from time to time throughout the years. Even though she hurt you, you wouldn't speak about her as if you were still hurt. It was as if you thought that she was still there – _waiting_. You know…like waiting for you to finish Stanford."

Holy shit. Even Diana knew.  
So why couldn't Sophie see that, too?

 _Sophie didn't realize that I would've waited forever for her._

"I understood that I could _never_ compete with that. But then you and I continued to grow closer as friends. Once I fell head over heals for you, there was no turning back. So I decided to stake my claim if Sophie ever tried to slide back in. So that's exactly what I did."

"Diana, I understand," I say to her.

"No, I was a royal bitch," she chuckles. "I don't think your mother even liked me."

"No comment," I smirk.

"Yeah, you don't have to say it," she laughs again. "I wouldn't have liked me either. I was good at being a pretender. I completely lost myself when I focused on us trying to be _Mr. and Mrs. Grey 2.0_. I lost who _I_ was in that whole process."

Her revelation grounds me.  
Perhaps I'm just as guilty of the same crime, too.

Pleasing my father never used to be my focus when I was with Sophie.

"I think about my parents," she starts again. "My mother always stayed at home with my sister and me in our great big house. My successful, business-owner father came and left as he pleased. I'm convinced that he's had a _number_ of affairs. Then later, Richard came along and fucked me all up. I knew there had to be a better way to live… _and_ love. Then I met you. _Then_ I met your parents. You were all proof that I deserved better before then."

 _Holy shit._

"Well – here's to us finding ourselves again. I really want that for you. I want you to be happy in your own skin, Diana. Even if it's not with me," I tell her sincerely.

"And I want that for you, too. But in your case, I know exactly with _whom_ you'll be most happy. Speaking of, have you been talking to Sophie these days?"

Her blunt question startles me. " _Um_ …" I awkwardly hesitate.

"That would be a _yes_ ," she laughs.

"Well, we've been sort of _um_ …yeah. _Talking_ , _I guess_?" I say ever so lamely.

"That's great. So she's a single mom now. Have you met her little boy yet?"

"No, I haven't yet."

"Well, if she introduces you to him, then that's a _very_ good sign," she beams.

"Yeah." It's all I can say on the subject. I don't feel like exposing my big fight with Sophie to _her_. It's much too complicated and besides, I'm still not completely sold on this _new-Diana_ yet.

"Oh, by the way, I hope that your sister has a happy birthday tomorrow," she says suddenly.

It then hits me that Diana has a birthday coming too – the day after Phoebe's.

"Thanks. And _happy birthday to you_ on Tuesday." She smiles and nods in appreciation.

"Take care, Playboy Teddy," she grins fondly. "And if you ever need _anything_ …"

"I know," I nod with kindness. "Right back at cha, Miss Fenkell."

* * *

 _Monday, March 10, 2036_

Today is officially my sister's 21'st birthday. I almost wish that she had her party this past Saturday instead of the next because if she did, I wouldn't have got into that fight with Sophie.

It was crazy running into Diana last night, but fate works in strange ways. Who would've thought that my ex-fiancée would be the one practically encouraging me to patch things up with Sophie?

So this morning, I finally tried to call Sophie to make amends after our big blowout on Saturday. She doesn't answer. I call again later in the morning, and then once more in the afternoon to no avail.

I begin feeling anxious. _Maybe she's shutting me out again._ After lunch hour, I attend a joint staff meeting. As I listen to the presenter, my phone buzzes in my lap. I look down and see that it's a number from the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. I suddenly stand and I catch my parents both watching as I quietly exit the conference room to take the call out in the hall.

"Sophie?" I utter as soon as I'm able to pick up.

"Hey, uh… _no_ …" a young-sounding male bumbles.

 _Who in the fuck is this?_

"Who's this?" I ask.

I know that this is Sophie's work.  
I have it programmed in my phone.

"Ted Grey, right?" the guy asks.

"Yeah. And this _is_ this the Olympic Hotel, right?" I say slowly so that we are both clear on who we're both speaking to.

"Right. I'm Mike. I work in valet."

Oh, _Mike_ – the asshole that wants to fuck Sophie.

" _Okay_ ," I prompt, un-amused.  
Why in the fuck is he calling me instead of Sophie?

"I'm calling because Sophie had you listed as an emergency contact."

She _what_?  
Why would she do that?

"She got into a car accident last night on her way in to work."

My heart immediately lodges into my throat.  
 _I'm about to be sick._

"What! Where is she? Is she okay?" I rattle off.

Thankfully I'm on the fifteenth floor, so I run into the emergency stairwell and take the stairs up two at a time.

"She's at Northwest right now. We're unsure how she's doing. Our boss is actually checking on her progress as we speak."

"Fuck!" my shout echoes the entire stairwell. I finally get to my office on the 19th floor and begin packing up my shit after breezing past a concerned Marisol.

"Ted – is everything okay?" she whispers in the doorway, but I hold up a hand to let he know that I'm on a call.

"All we know is that she was t-boned in the intersection. Some asshole ran the red."

 _Oh no – did she get hurt?!  
Is she okay? _

I have so many questions right now, but they don't matter.  
I need to get to Sophie right away.

"Thanks for calling. I'm heading to the hospital now."

"Sure thing. I really hope she's okay," Mike says soberly.

 _You and me both, pal._ I hang up the phone and zip up my shoulder bag.

"Ted?" Marisol speaks, reminding me she's still here.

"I have an emergency. A really good friend of mine got into an accident last night."

"Oh no," she gasps.

"Just tell my parents that I had to run and I will call them tonight."

"Sure," she whispers with concerned eyes.  
She lets me pass the door, and I head out.

….

When I arrive at the ER waiting area, I ask the receptionist about Sophie Taylor.

"Are you next of kin?" she squawks as she pounds away on the keyboard.

Fuck, not this – and not now. _I should lie._ I can easily say that I'm her brother. Even if I show my ID, siblings don't have to share the last name. Before I can reach into my pocket for my wallet, I feel a hand touching my shoulder. Startled, I turn my head and see Mr. Taylor standing there.

"He's with me," he says to the receptionist in a deep, authoritative voice.

Holy fucking shit.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So is it heating up for you yet?_** **:)** ** _If not, things only get hotter from here._**

 ** _In the next chapter – Ted and Taylor have a heart to heart moment at the hospital. Afterwards, Ted and Sophie make amends. Yeah it sounds crazy, right? But it actually happens, haha! By the way, SPOILER: Sophie is fine._** **:)**

 ** _Next, Ana enlists the help of her best friend to help her solve the mystery of little Ronan's paternity. We'll also get a Sophie flashback to the day when she encourages Aiden to meet Ted. This will explain the puzzle even more. After chapter 24, things will really start to pick up, so be sure to enjoy the smooth ride before it's all over._** **;)**

 ** _This will be the final Family Business update until after the New Year. I need to put out the next chapter of TCB first since readers have been asking for it._**

 ** _Thanks for reading and Happy 2018! – ST2_**


	24. Chapter 24 - Let's Be Us Again

**Chapter 24** **– Let's Be Us Again**

 _Monday, March 10, 2036  
(Continued)_

 _Ted_

As the woman behind the counter scribbles out my name on a sticky badge labeled _ER Visitor_ using a thin red Sharpie, I gape over at Mr. Taylor.

He looks his sturdy, smart usual self, wearing a navy blue suit and a white shirt unbuttoned at the collar. He was obviously in the middle of doing work for my father when he got the call that his daughter was rushed to the hospital. Then it comes to me that I've never really seen Taylor out of uniform, except when he's out working in the yard or in the garage at his house located on my family's property.

My mind shifts suddenly to the issue at hand. Apparently, the woman behind the counter trusts Mr. Taylor's word, which is why she's producing a badge for me. However, I don't see _him_ wearing one.

 _Does Sophie know he's here?  
Shit…is Sophie even okay?_

As soon as the woman hands me my pass and I slap it on, Taylor firmly pulls me forward and towards the corridor where the ER patients are located. I'm rendered speechless as we move, but my mind continues to run frenzied circles.

Along the way, there's a tiny open waiting area with a small table and chairs, and three towering vending machines. Mr. Taylor leads me there.

I pivot to my side and look him in the face. "Mr. Taylor…"

Expressionless, he holds out a hand to stop me mid-way. "I have a lot to explain."

My heart stutters at his grim expression and he quickly switches gears after reading me. "First of all, Sophie is fine. She was _very_ lucky."

I sigh and my entire body nearly collapses.  
"Thank God," I exhale.

"Yes – thank God for advanced safety systems. No broken bones as far as they can tell. She only has some bruises and cuts, but they are still keeping her until tomorrow morning for continuous observation due to her concussion. They believe that the worse is now over, but they'd like to make certain," he says.

I swallow and briefly close my eyes before I ask him the question that's been lingering on the top of my mind. "Does she know you're here?"

"No," he answers. My scalp starts to prickle.

So…they're still not speaking. But he's here. He obviously still cares for his daughter a great deal. He's apparently been watching over her. And if he's been watching her, he knows that she and I have started seeing each other again.

I thought I'd find a look of extreme disapproval once Taylor finally confronted me about his daughter. I'm taken aback when I don't locate that very expression on his stern face. Instead, all I find is deep concern for his daughter. I also find hesitant relief. And I find regret.

Now regret for _what_ … **that** – I do not know.

Taylor gestures over to the two chairs against the wall facing the vending machine. I follow his lead and take a seat.

"Tomorrow if you can, you should be here when she's discharged. She'll need a ride home since I don't think her mother is aware of the accident," he says.

I blink up at him. I want nothing more than to take care of Sophie, but why is he asking me to do this? Why won't _he_ step in? It's apparent from the shift in his facial expression that he picks up on my perception of him.

"Ted, I just want to say that I am grateful for all that you have done to help my daughter. The security detail… You know… _just looking out for her_ ," he says in the most awkward way.

I nod. "Sure," I murmur, equally as awkward.

I suddenly hear a buzzing sound, and Taylor closes his eyes as if he's thoroughly dreading who it is. _Shit – my father._

As Taylor answers the call in his wireless earpiece, I pull my phone from my jacket pocket and see that both of my parents have called a total of three times. I also received a text from my mother earlier asking if I was okay. I'm anxious and annoyed all at once.

"Sir," Taylor pipes in his usual trusty professional tone. "Yes…young Mr. Grey is here with me at the hospital."

My stomach bottoms out.  
 _He's fucking going to tell him about Sophie._

"We rushed here to meet a friend who got into an auto accident last night," Taylor continues. _Holy shit._ He pauses to listen. " _Yes_ …a friend from high school. Fortunately there were no serious injuries."

I gape at Mr. Taylor. _Dude just blatantly lied to my father._ I'm shocked, but impressed.

He listens for a few beats. "Very well, Sir," he says before finally ending the call. Mr. Taylor notices my shocked look. "Get in touch with your parents after you visit Sophie. I will leave it up to you if you want them to know the exact reason you're here," he says to me. "Tell them, or keep it to yourself. I'm fine either way."

I'm left speechless by the gesture. He apparently doesn't care if I reveal to my father that I've been seeing Sophie, his daughter. But I quickly come to grips that maybe Taylor's half-truth might work best for keeping the pressure off for a moment, at least until after Sophie and I figure things out. Besides, I still haven't had the chance to apologize yet.

Taylor rubs his hands over his face and lets out a deep sigh. "I know that I've been a shitty father to her," he starts again from our earlier topic. I nearly stop breathing at his words as he looks back up at me with eyes filled with years of regret. "I should've fought harder for her when she insisted on marrying her baby's father," he swallows.

Whoa, what does he mean by that? Is he saying that he should've stopped Sophie and Aiden? _I mean_ – they never actually married.

"And even before then, I should've fought harder for her when she insisted that she was in love with you," Taylor soberly reveals.

I feel the blood rushing out of my veins.  
I have no words to say.

"I stayed away at first, just like she wanted. It killed me to do it," he gruffs through gritted teeth. "No matter how much I didn't approve of what she was doing, she is still my baby girl." He's starting to get choked up, but quickly composes himself.

"After a month or two of her filing the restraining order against me, I had friends here and there who kept an eye on her."

I gape at him. "A _restraining order_?"

There had to be some proof of potential harm in order for a judge to sign off on that. _What in the world did Sophie tell the cops for that to even happen?_ My stomach twists at the thought.

He nods. "She thought that it was the only way to keep me off her back. I never understood why she was so hell bent on keeping me away. Then I realized that it had everything to do about how she felt about you. Even after she moved on, it was obvious that she never got over losing you. So she took it out on me, deservingly so."

I'm seeing Mr. Taylor in a totally different light. I don't quite grasp the exact predicament, but he's not the same stoic, robotic, _trusty employee Jason Taylor_ that I grew up with. This is a broken man. A broken father who desperately wants his daughter back.

"I loved your daughter back then, Mr. Taylor. In fact, I still do."

My blatant honesty towards the man who has worked relentlessly with my father for many years to draw an enormous wedge between Sophie and I is utterly astounding. But I decided that I have nothing to lose against a man who has clearly lost everything.

"I know," he utters soberly. I search his face for disapproval and I don't find it. All I see is sheer remorse. "I still believe that she only got involved with her son's father to appease me," he continues. "To show me that she'd moved on from whatever it was that you two had."

Hell, even Taylor knows that Sophie backed away from me and ran straight into Aiden arms simply because she was afraid – and Taylor hasn't been around her for _years_. So why was I the last to know? Why did she have to verbally tell me that she never stopped loving me before I could believe it?

Maybe it's due to the fact that she quit fighting for us. Instead, she moved on with Aiden and left me holding my own bleeding heart that was still beating in my cold bare hands; the same heart that she so unkindly ripped out. I figured if she _truly_ loved me, she wouldn't have left me in the first fucking place.

"But she had no clue what she was involving herself in with Glenn. I didn't know that my tough love would eventually lead her from the frying pan and straight into the fire," Taylor adds.

I have no words of solace for him. Maybe it's because his actions long ago along with my father's brought all of this shit on. _Christian Grey_ **and** _Jason Taylor_ are the reasons why Sophie and I broke up.

But part of me feels that Sophie wouldn't have changed anything if she could. If the situation were in fact different, she wouldn't have her son – and that little boy means the whole world to her. Even _I_ know that, and I've yet to meet him.

"I know that she reached out to you the moment she needed help. One of the guards on detail at Grey House recognized her the day she came to see you. Again, I always had eyes on her, but it wasn't a constant thing. I had to do it this way because I couldn't lead on to what I was doing. But when I saw the way she looked when she came to see you, it literally ripped me apart." This time, I can hear the lump stuck in his throat as he fights back tears. It pricks me.

"I knew she had a lawyer working pro bono on the custody case. I've never met my grandson, but I sure as hell wasn't going to let those sick, careless bastards in Nevada lay one finger on him," he growls.

Holy shit...it _was_ him.  
 _Taylor_ paid for Sophie's lawyer.

"You paid for Sophie's legal fees?" I ask quietly. He nods. "What about the job at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel?" I add.

"I called in a favor. That person's forever grateful that I pushed to hire her. Sophie's probably one of their best hires in recent years. She is going to make a stellar general manager." I can hear the pride oozing from his voice as it equally reflects on his face.

 _Damn, so Sophie's dad had a huge hand in her resurgence._

The thought is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Taylor can only be proud of Sophie from the sidelines because she still refuses to have him be apart of her life. Just before I can allude to the possibility of reconciliation between father and daughter, Taylor quickly douses the flames.

"She can't know about any of this. In fact, I'm not supposed to be here."

A sinking feeling hovers across my chest. "But she needs to know," I say, urging.

"No," he says too quickly. "Not right now. Give it more time. For now, I ask that you not mention me. _Please_ ," Taylor pleads.

I nod. "Your secret's safe with me."

I respect that he feels Sophie requires more time to heal before asking her to let him back in. Perhaps I can help advance the process. If I am able to patch things up with her after our fight, maybe I can start to encourage her to open up a dialog with her father. That's _if_ she forgives me for being a total asshole to her on Saturday.

Taylor soon gears to leave, but I still have so many questions that need answering.

 _Why was he so hell-bent on keeping Sophie and me apart, even after I became of age?  
Why did everything have to come to this? Taking out a restraining order against her very own father? _

But Taylor makes it clear that he can't stay. Sophie can't get word of him being within one hundred yards of her. This is all so fucked up, yet you can't deny how much Taylor still loves and deeply cares for his daughter. Hell, he was the first one at the hospital when the ambulance brought her in.

We both stand and he firmly grips my hand and pats me on the shoulder, profoundly thanking me once more for keeping an eye on his daughter. He also says that he'll be in touch to see if she's doing well. After he leaves, I sit back down in the chair. My mind can't help but think back to just an hour ago when I first got the news that Sophie had be rushed to the hospital late last night.

I could have lost her – and if all we had before that was our big fight in her apartment, I'd be out of my mind right now.

 _I don't want to waste another second apart from her._

I realize that I was being rather hypocritical when I accused her of hopping on the first dick that she could at UW. But way before she even considered going astray – I was busy getting my knob slobbered by eager female coeds at Stanford. Frankly, it was stupid and immature of me to try and justify oral sex as _not cheating_.

I stand and start the journey towards Sophie's room. _I must make this right._ I resolve to open up to her about all of my hidden transgressions, as she did with me Saturday night. And if she doesn't hate me after I'm done, we can begin again on a crystal clear slate.

This time around, Sophie and I will be able to love each other without interference, and with a love completely void of secrets and lies.

….

"Teddy," she rasps, slowly rising up from resting on her pillow. I quickly rush over to her bedside and urge her to lie back down.

Her hospital room is rather small, but at least she doesn't have to share it with anyone. There are machines all around, blipping and bleeping. If Sophie weren't lucid and visibly relieved to see me, I'd be going nuts right now. I think back to when I almost lost my mother at a hospital, and my heart practically beats right out of my chest.

"Sophie," I speak as if her very name is a prayer. I carefully wrap my arms around her, but she grips me as if her life depends on it. I frantically kiss her all around her clammy forehead.

"Are _you_ …?" I stutter.

"I'm fine," she reassures me. "One minute, I was driving to work, and I see a pickup truck running the red light. The next minute, I'm waking up in here."

"Christ," I groan, squeezing her to me once more.

When the nurse enters the room and looks at me like I just let out the loudest and wettest fart, I suddenly realize that I'm currently sharing a hospital bed with her patient. Remembering myself, slide out of bed and quickly pull up a chair next to it.

"Hello. Would you like something to drink?" she asks, now grinning. I sit down in the seat and look over at Sophie. Instead, Sophie is looking at me.

"Ted, she's asking _you_ ," she smirks as if I'm a complete dunce. I frown. "I already have something," she adds, pointing to the two tall paper cups with straws over at the rolling meal tray beside her.

 _Oh._ "Sure. Ice water, please. Thank you," I eventually say to the nurse. She smiles and steps back out of the room.

"I didn't know that she was talking to me," I say goofily. Sophie giggles and I take her closest hand, keeping hers and mine on the bed. "I was so worried," I sigh, feeling dread all over again.

"I know. I was lucky. I just saw photos of the accident. The officer on the scene was nice enough to come by and visit. He gave me a copy of the incident report."

"That's cool," I say.

"Yeah. Then he asked if I had a boyfriend… _off the record_ , of course. He was _kinda_ cute, but I told him that me and my _main guy_ are still together – even though we got into a big fight the other night," she teases.

I narrow my eyes and squeeze her hand. "Hey, he needs to wait his turn. And _on the record_ , he'll be waiting for a fucking long time," I growl.

She smiles wide. "I'm happy to hear that, Mr. Grey. I'm glad to know that I didn't mess things up for good."

My grin fades. I gaze at her earnestly. "I'm just glad that you're still here for me to make things right. I want to take care of you. Will you let me do that?"

Tears begin to prick her already sea blue eyes. She eagerly nods.

* * *

 _Tuesday, March 11, 2036_

 _Sophie_

My heart leaps when Ted arrives to take me home from the hospital. I can't believe that he's missing work this morning to see to it that I'm back home and settled.

Last night, all he did was remain seated by my side while gripping my hand in his. He kissed all of my exposed scars and bruises while continuing to sigh in unmitigated relief that I was not seriously injured in that frightful car accident. He didn't want to elaborate on the topic of our fight. It was as if it never happened.

But I know that as soon as we leave this hospital, we will have to face what happened. _There is so much that he already knows, but he still doesn't know everything._ My gut sinks at the thought.

My body is sore all over, but I still manage to be able to walk all by myself without limping. I decline the nurse's kind offer for a wheelchair and opt for Ted's strong arms instead – _for obvious reasons_.

The way he holds me and cares for me…it's overwhelming. And I know for a fact that I'm going to want him to stay when he takes me home. But he has to work. _Shit_ … Ronan…he'll be home soon with my mother, who still has no idea about my accident.

I got the call earlier this morning that the insurance company of the at-fault driver will be covering the cost of a rental car while I search for a new vehicle. My car was completely totaled, so the insurance company will be paying for that as well. Getting a brand new ride is a blessing in disguise. I'm just thankful that I didn't suffer more than a concussion along with several bumps and bruises to get it.

This could've been _way_ worse – as Ted reminded me yesterday _…repeatedly_. There was this sheer expression of gratitude that remained with him for the entire night. I see it on him once again today.

And _I_ am so grateful for _him_ – and that he is finally back in my life.  
 _Back to stay?_ I brush away the stray thought.

As he and I walk together, his arm grips my waist tightly against his side. I feel like I'm _his_ – and I practically swoon. And although I've showered earlier and I'm wearing my own clean clothes that Ted brought me, I still feel and I smell just like this rank hospital. But it doesn't faze Ted; he kisses my skanky hair mid-journey, and I glance over and up at him with a pungent-looking smirk on my lips.

He narrows his eyes as if it's no laughing matter. "Like I told you yesterday, I'm relieved that things weren't worse. You can't imagine what was going through my mind on the drive here. _Thousands_ of terrible things ran through my mind."

"I know," I sigh, leaning my head over to his shoulder. I feel his chin slightly digging into my hair.

I still can't believe how fast he got here after he found out. Before Ted arrived, I spoke to my boss who mentioned that someone at the hotel reached out to Ted, who was listed as my emergency contact. I remember gaping at my boss. I know that I didn't list Ted as an emergency contact. I only listed my mother.

I'm shocked, yet grateful that no one bothered to contact Shannon while she's been in Tacoma. I don't want her stressing out during the entire drive home with Ronan when I'm totally fine.

 _I'm even better now that Ted's with me._

He kisses my hair once more as we exit the massive revolving doors. "I'm sorry about our fight on Saturday," he whispers.

And there it is. My high suddenly plummets at the thought of what took place on the night before yesterday.

 _"Bullshit! **You** lied because **you** were scared of my father and your father!"_

Outside of the building, I hang my head in shame knowing that his harsh words actually hold true. He stops mid-step and stands toe to toe with me. He slowly lifts up my chin.

"Sophie," he softly petitions.

"You were right. I totally understand why you were so mad," I murmur.

"No – I was out of line."

"I'm mad at myself, too," I tell him. "I kept my feelings to myself for all of those years. I didn't fight harder…for us."

Ted's lips buckle before he pulls me into his embrace holds me carefully tight.

"I haven't been completely honest with you, either," he says quietly in my ear.

 _What?_ I suddenly pull away from him to search his face.

"Similar to you, I never stopped loving you. But it was rather hypocritical of me to hold you to a standard that I didn't uphold myself. I did some shitty, immature things while at Stanford," he says with shame in his eyes. My heart stops beating.

Frantic, he reaches for my hand and places it against his lips. "I promise you, nothing ever went beyond oral sex back when you and I were still together. But in my stupid, immature… _male-ego_ mind, I didn't justify that as cheating."

I roll my eyes at him and my hand falls from his lips.

 _Really, Grey? You were getting blowjobs from multiple girls on campus, yet I'm the whore?_ I quickly try and push back the bitter feelings that have suddenly rushed up to the surface. _Don't even go there, Sophie. You have done worse to him than he's ever done to you._ Mercy suddenly floods in and I unclench my fists.

"But still know that I've never loved _anyone_ the way that I loved – and _love_ you," he declares with guileless blue eyes, and I am floating on a cloud once more. He takes me by both hands and searches my eyes.

As I look at him, a thick film of guilt takes residence inside of me. I know for a fact that I don't deserve him. All I've done for years is cause him pain.

If I could save him from me, I would.

"Teddy…"

"Soph…" he interrupts. "I want us to start over again. Please." The sincerity etched on his face is undisputable. His adoring eyes and along with his plea slowly melts away the cloudy film. I suddenly stiffen up at the revelation.

 _My God, what are we doing?_ But I can't fight it. No matter how much I try to push away from him, my heart will no longer let me succeed.

Theodore Raymond Grey is the absolute love of my life.

"I want that, too," I exhale.

We're still not even close to Ted's car, but his hands cup my face. My arms wrap eagerly around his neck. Our lips are now ablaze, pressing together into a kiss that says it all for us. Our tongues soon entangle along with the sound of our breaths amidst the outdoor air, desperately wanting the other person to feel the love that we've been keeping away from it's rightful owner for too damn long.

 _All this time has past and nothing's changed. Our feelings have remained the same._  
The thought is both liberating and frightening at the same time.

 _What does this all mean?  
Can Ted and I finally be together?_

Ted pulls away and looks back into my eyes. "You won't believe this, but it took running into my ex on Sunday to realize that I've never let go of my true feelings for you," he pours out.

 _His ex? Oh no._ "You ran into Diana?" I utter.

He nods and smirks. "Even she understood how much you mean to me. In her own way, she was encouraging me to finally follow my heart."

I swallow as I stare at him, astounded.

 _Diana?  
Diana encouraged Ted to go after me?_

He bypasses the dumbfounded expression on my face, maintaining a look of unadulterated love. "Sophie Taylor. You are the only one for me. I'm not letting you go this time. Do you hear me?" he says with a most determined gaze.

I gasp. _My God – he's serious._ And in this moment, I want to tell him absolutely everything. I want to spill the contents of my entire soul to him. But instead, I decide to do something that I should've done on Saturday.

I simply savor the moment.

I give Ted Grey the biggest smile that I can muster. The love and adoration shining back at me from his face is undeniable. His smile even takes over his eyes, causing my heart to soar.

Instead of vocalizing my reply, I lean back in and kiss him once more.

….

At my apartment, I practically lust at the sight of Ted who eclipses sex in his custom-fitted smoke-colored suit. He's in the process of putting away a single bag of groceries that he helped me get at the corner market when I suddenly get a call from my mother.

Shannon informs me that she and Ronan are about an hour away from my apartment. Ted obviously hears this. After the call ends, Ted doesn't stay for very long.

"I'll let you get some rest. I'll call you later tonight, okay?" he vows.

I give him a bittersweet smile and he tugs me into his arms. I really don't want him to go, but it's almost as if he knows that I'm not quite ready to introduce him to my mother… _or_ Ronan. I wished things were different.

 _Sophie, you'll eventually have to face the music._

Our long kiss goodbye at the door was amazing, but heart wrenching. I long for the day when we don't have to part like this anymore.

For years, I've dreamt of a time when Ted and I could enjoy a lazy Sunday in bed after making love in the morning. I'd cook us brunch around ten, and we'd eat it by a mild fire on a damp and chilly early-spring morning. Then we'd ask the other what we should do for the remainder of the day. Then I would say that _I'd rather lie back in bed and talk. Then make love. Then talk again._ Then he'd laugh before admitting that he had the same exact idea.

But true life isn't that simple.

Exhausted from all of my recent emotional ups and downs, I decide to rest on the sofa for a few minutes before Mom and Ronan arrive. As my mind wanders all on its own, I can't help but reflect back to a moment that greatly contributed to the fight that Ted and I would have years later.

Soon, I'm dozing off.

* * *

 _Wednesday, March 31, 2032  
(Flashback)_

In my dorm room, I'm sitting next to Aiden at the edge of the bed. There's nothing remotely sexy about this moment – we're fully clothed, after all. I am also _very_ pregnant. Aiden studies me as I stare blankly at the floor.

"My dad is extremely overprotective," I tell him.

He sighs. "You've said this before. _Look_ – I'm not scared, if that's what you're worried about."

I ignore him. "Jason Taylor is Special Forces military-trained and works for one of the most powerful men in the world," I declare, now looking over at him. "He has an _unlimited_ amount of resources at his disposal. He's also been known to follow me around and surveil me if he's not absolutely satisfied with my story."

Aiden's confidence is visibly shaken once it finally sinks in for him whom we're dealing with.

"We need to keep my father at arm's length, restraining order or not. That piece of paper won't keep him away," I profess. "The second he sticks his foot in the door, he will make certain that we don't marry. That's why we need to introduce you to someone whose word my father will trust so he'll stand back."

And even if my father never speaks directly to this individual afterwards, just Aiden and I meeting with the trusted person in public will say it loudly for us. I'm totally counting on the fact that my father will be snooping around as he always does.

"So, who will you introduce me to? I've already met your mother," Aiden beams.

"My father can't stand her. She made his life a living hell the first two years after the divorce," I say bitterly. My stomach clinches just before I say the next thing. "You should meet the son of his boss. My dad absolutely trusts his father, so he'll trust _him_ by default. I've known him basically his entire life. I used to babysit his sisters. He's a really sweet guy and a perfect cover in case my dad has any doubts about what you and I have."

I've never alluded to the fact that the son of my father's boss is also _Mr. Stanford_. I should feel like total scum by even suggesting that Aiden meet someone who's actually my ex-boyfriend – a guy that I desperately love… _still_.

But what Aiden doesn't know is that my plan is twofold.

Not only do I need my father to be far away after my son is born, but I need Ted to see with his own eyes that we are absolutely over by finally putting a face to a name. Ted knows about Aiden and that we're engaged, but he's never met him. By all intents, Ted's been laying back during his internship at Amazon, while attending night classes here on campus for the semester.

But I know Teddy Grey. If he has a glimmer of suspicion, he will absolutely pounce.

For months, Ted has seen me off and on around campus. Each time we meet, it's rather obvious that he doesn't care for me anymore. And it's no wonder – I've hurt him far beyond repair. Still, his disdain for me doesn't sting any less.

 _I'm doing this for you, Ted.  
You have to trust me._

And as the weeks progress, I had to be more strategic with my clothing selection as I grow increasingly larger. These days, I'm so pregnant that I can no longer hide it anymore. So who's to say that Ted hasn't already figured it out? Still, I need to put everything all out in the open so that there is no mistaking that I've in fact moved on.

I know that Aiden truly wants to marry me and be a family – but he's been acting kind of strange lately. In addition to my stalking father leaving traces of his appearance here and there, we've had to deal with Aiden's parents who desperately want us to come and live with them in their house in Nevada.

But first thing's first: I need to cover up my tracks here in Seattle. My father can't ever meet Aiden _or_ the baby. I also don't need anyone to do the math. Until the time comes, all I can do is hope beyond hope that time will inevitably be on my side.

* * *

 _Monday, March 17, 2036  
(The Present) _

_Ana_

The hoopla of planning and later throwing Phoebe's big 21st birthday party has come and gone. Now, I have nothing else to stop my mind from wondering relentlessly about Topher's friend, whose actually Sophie Taylor's son.

I sit behind my desk at work, racking my brain. The more I try to talk myself out of it, the more my heart's dead set on the notion that Teddy could be Ronan's true father. I still feel foolish for even thinking it, but I need to know once and for all whether I'm right or wrong.

But how will I find out for sure? No, I wouldn't dare tell Christian what I suspect without first finding out the truth for myself. I hate to think this, but I fear that my husband will put my quest to a halt.

 _Hell, I wish I had a Mr. Welch of my very own that I could rely on._

Suddenly an idea sputters in my mind.

 _Kate. Yes! My best friend has worked in investigative reporting._

I give her a call and invite her to lunch.

….

Kate and I sit before an assortment of sushi rolls. I could tell from the tone of her voice over the phone, and by the anticipative expression on her face here at the restaurant that there's something that she wants to say to me. But my news can't wait – and she knows it. I was the one who called the lunch, so she humors me first.

Kate reaches for a slice of the Seattle roll in the center of the table with her chopsticks as I continue to rattle off what's been eating me these past few weeks.

"Because of the surgery, it had been months since I'd taken Topher to _Mommy & Me_ swim class. So when I could finally take him, I watched him play with his best friend…as I always do. I don't know if it's my newly-regulated hormones, but I _finally_ realized something with little Ronan."

" _Ronan_?" Kate says with a confused wince and a mouth full of sushi.

I glare at her _. I hope I didn't do all of that talking just so my words could fly over that pretty little blond head of hers._

"Ronan – Topher's best friend." Her mouth forms the _'oh'_ sound and she nods to say that she's back with me. "It was fucking as clear as day, Kate. It was like looking directly into a crystal ball. I felt silly at first, but it all made sense once I finally met up with Ronan's grandmother after class," I say resolutely.

Kate gapes at me, confused. I know that she thinks I'm completely out of my mind, but she doesn't say it. Instead, she stays with me and tries to following along.

"I gave the grandmother my business card and she royally freaked out. Then she says: _My ex-husband works for you_ ," I theatrically reenact, like a smoky-voiced starlet from the days of black and white film.

Kate eyes widen and she gasps. "Taylor's ex wife?" I nod with my lips pressed in a crooked line. "So that little boy is Sophie Taylor's son," she deduces. I nod.

"That _boy_ …that _sweet_ little boy. He looks _just_ like Teddy when he was the same age. I _know_ that's my grandchild," I adamantly emphasize, waving an authoritative finger in the air.

I am behaving as if I'm two cocktails in, although I never drink before five. The fact that I am even having this conversation – declaring loudly my belief that my first-born could possibly have a secret love child that's also a secret to _him_ – is enough to make my nervous system feel drunk without the alcohol.

 _Teddy? A father?_

"What a minute," Kate pauses, halting me mid-wave. She briefly chews on my words. Soon, her eyes are practically bulging out of their sockets as she nearly chokes on her sushi.

"What the _fuck_?!" she squawks.

Startled diners nearby are now spectating, but I ignore them.

"Yes, Sophie's kid looks just like Teddy," I summarize in a murmur.

"Wait a minute… _hold up_. Let's just rewind here. Do you mean to tell _me_ that little _Theodore Grey_ was boning the babysitter?" she says in disbelief, head tilted sideways.

"Kate," I sigh, rubbing my hand across my forehead in exasperation.

"No, _that's_ what you're telling me," she gestures in my direction. "That's what I'm hearing right now." Soon, a huge shit-eating grin spreads across her gorgeous face. "Now if that's not _Christian Grey-esque_ , I don't know what is!"

Soon, Kate is full-on belly laughing, as onlookers – some amused, some not so much – are continuing to be engaged.

"Kate," I scold.

I _so_ regret telling her about Christian's old playroom and his past with his much older _Madame,_ the one who first turned him out. Granted, I was drunk when I confessed these things to her over twenty-four years ago. Now my words are finally coming back to haunt me.

"Teddy Grey…laying some serious pipe on the hot babysitter," Kate murmurs quietly, but not quiet enough for me to ignore.

"Kate," I snap in disapproval.

She acquiesces. "Sorry. Look, I want to see the little guy for myself."

I sigh in disappointment. "I almost took a picture, but I got distracted. Ronan hasn't been back in class since. His grandmother apparently pulled him out after our little talk."

"Why would she do that?" Kate frowns. "Does she have something to hide?"

"I don't know," I say, feeling helpless.

"Have you talked to Teddy?" she asks.

"I almost did. But I just feel stupid bringing this up when I don't have any concrete facts. I don't think Teddy has a clue," I reply, slowly shaking my head.

Teddy's been acting so different lately. Granted, he did recently get humiliated by someone that he was set to marry. As a result, he has somewhat distanced himself from the family outside of work. But still, he has never been _this_ quiet.

After some prodding he did admit to me that he was dating again, but insisted that it was nothing serious. Still, I find it odd that he's been seeing this girl for weeks and still hasn't even mentioned her name. He also didn't invite her to Phoebe's birthday this past weekend.

Then there was the time a week ago when Teddy rushed out in the middle of a meeting that his father and I were also attending. Marisol later informed us that he had to go and see a friend who was just rushed to the hospital, and I idly wondered if it was his new lady friend.

Although Teddy was never out of pocket when it came to business – corresponding to emails and staying on top of everything, he didn't return to work that day. The next day, he didn't come into the office until sometime after lunch. I knew this because Phoebe had to cover for him in back to back meetings that morning. Even Phoebe doesn't know what's been going on with her brother. She is also a little concerned by this _new Teddy_. Granted, it's not that he's being self-destructive or anything of that nature. It's just that he's being so… _secretive_.

So needless to say, my mind's been wandering all over the place when it comes to my son. _Has Teddy been in contact with Sophie? Has he met Shannon…or Ronan, even?_

"Look – if you want me to, I can give one of my investigative contacts a call," Kate suggests suddenly.

" _Could you_?" I say, practically begging.

"Absolutely. And plus, I need to know if my oldest nephew is _really_ a babydaddy," she says teasingly. I close my eyes and shake my head at her off-color remark.

"This entire thing's been gnawing at me ever since I found out who little Ronan and his grandmother were," I lament.

"And Taylor has nothing to do with them?" Kate utters in disbelief.

I shake my head. "I don't think that he had a choice. Sophie cut him out because he didn't care for her husband."

"She's still married?"

"I don't know. I just know that the guy's been in jail. Well…he _was_ there last August."

Kate gapes in shock. "What?"

I nod. "Then DSS took him away from Sophie. Then there was the big custody battle with the supposed grandparents in Nevada, which Sophie won…"

" _Supposed_ ," she smirks at me. "You seem rather certain that this little guy is Teddy's."

"Kate, if you saw him…you'd see it, too," I say earnestly. "I'm just upset that I didn't see it earlier."

"Don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of it. So have you thought about doing the math? Is there any way that Teddy could be the father?"

I sigh. "I've tried, but I don't know Ronan's birthday. Topher doesn't know it either. I just know that he and Topher are the same age." Suddenly, a thought pops into mind. "Wait…I remember when Christian first told me that Sophie was pregnant."

 _"She pretty much stopped speaking to Taylor and Gail altogether  
– hell bent on marrying some burnout," Christian hissed._

 _"Are you serious?"_

 _"Taylor suspects that the main reason why they're in such  
a hurry to get married is because she's pregnant."_

 _"Does Taylor only suspect that she's pregnant?"_

 _"No, that part's been confirmed."_

"This was…around New Year's. New Year's four years ago – when Teddy came back home to intern at Amazon," I say, pulling down the memories from my mind-cloud above.

"You found out that you were pregnant with Topher a little less than two weeks into the New Year. I _remember_ ," Kate gapes at me.

"Yeah, but I was pregnant for a while and didn't know it. I thought it was just my perimenopause symptoms," I remind her.

She ponders on something else before asking her next question. "So thinking back, when was the last time Teddy was in Seattle before he returned to Stanford that fall? And was he dipping away from the family for one reason or another without any explanation?"

I think long and hard. "Well he came home that summer. He stayed from mid-April until mid-August. He interned at GEH," I recall. "Teddy was always out and about, hanging out with his old high school friends from the baseball team."

"Mm hmm," Kate hums scandalously. "Perfect alibi for him to sneak away and screw the babysitter's brains out."

"Kate," I rebuke.

She looks contemplative once more. "Teddy was over eighteen at the time," she muses. "So why would he feel the need to sneak around with her?"

My head falls. "Remember the ordeal with him skipping class during senior year – back when he was seventeen?"

"Oh, that's right!" she gasps at the sudden recollection. "Grey lost his shit and Sophie couldn't babysit the girls anymore." I nod in confirmation.

"Christian did not agree with that situation. Neither did I at the time. Teddy was an impressionable teenager, and Sophie was a beautiful and much more mature young lady who should've known better. But once Teddy started college, I had no issue with him reaching out and keeping in touch with her. His father on the other hand…"

"Yeah, the older woman/younger guy thing must've hit a little too close to home," Kate pronounces. "Granted, Teddy and Sophie are a hell of a lot closer in age than Christian and _The Pedophile_ were."

Holy shit. I've always thought that this was an Achilles heel for Christian, but never did I fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. My husband's perceived shortcomings from his youth would later become the iron fist that he would use to lord over our kids with to ensure that they never landed on his same path.

The thought is both sweet and sad at the same time. Christian loves our children so much that he will do anything to protect them. But at the same time, his overflowing love can be a great detriment. You can love someone so much that you end up stunting their growth.

I personally battled with Christian over this early on in our relationship. He tried to run my life, especially my career. But I was able to fight him back. Granted, I did end up doing what he always wanted me to do – but I arrived there on _my terms_ , not his.

Teddy never had the chance to spread his wings like I did. His father has consistently moved all of the chess pieces around on the board of Teddy's life. When Teddy goes left, Christian does something that forces him to move back right.

But this year, Christian's manipulating finally backfired.

Christian _pushed and pushed_ Teddy to marry Diana. Little did anyone know, the skank was busy planning her world domination like that little bigheaded mouse from _Pinky and the Brain_.

When it all came out – what she did to set back 2040 PTF, hamper our operations in Germany, and bruise Hanson's good name, Christian's pride was shook. He rushed home from the Swiss Alps upon hearing the news. He wanted Diana's head delivered to his office on a silver platter – not because of what she did, but because she was able to pull the wool over the eyes of someone who normally sees through everyone.

But Christian couldn't see through her. She was like a thick slab of titanium. He was so blinded because Diana had reminded him so much of me. But if he even bothered to ask me, I would've been able to point out the difference for him.

I've never overstepped my bounds during my entire career, _ever_. I've always worked within the confines of my current job level. I never aspired to be anything else than what I was at a given point and time.

Diana Fenkell, on the other hand, had delusions of grandeur. Sure, she may have wanted to be me at a point in time, but would it have been enough once she got there? I think about her annoying father, the one who was always so eager to brag about his newest professional accomplishments, and I realize that the apple doesn't fall from the tree.

That girl should count her blessings that my son is much more merciful than his parents are. I wanted to sue her blind, while Christian wanted to see her rot in jail. But Teddy didn't want any of that. He only wanted Diana to see the error of her ways, learn from them, and eventually move on as a better person.

 _That's why my son would make an excellent father._ I shake away the thought and resolve to switch topics at the moment. This whole _not knowing_ thing is slowly killing me. I hope Kate's contact will get us somewhere.

"So what's been up with you? Anything new?" I ask.

She exhales. "Well, I got a call from Tom's lawyer today. He must be marrying the young Russian slut because he is finally going to sign the divorce papers."

I gape at her. "Oh my God. That's… _wonderful_."

I feel awful that she had to hold in such great news because of my manic obsession with Sophie's little boy. _A boy that could be my grandson._ Once more, I bring my thoughts to heel and bask over Kate's glorious news. Although I didn't necessarily agree with her _'wait and don't poke the bear'_ method, it looks like her patience has finally paid off after five long years of being in limbo.

And Kate and Elliot are stronger than ever.  
I wonder if marriage will soon be on the horizon for them.  
 _I hope so._

"Me and my lawyers are meeting with Tom and his lawyers tomorrow morning in Portland," she says.

"Thank God," I breathe.

"Elliot really wants to go, but I don't think that's a good idea. Tom may see how happy I am, take one good look at Elliot, and immediately change his mind. We both know that _Terrible Tom's_ sole purpose in this life is to make sure that I am completely miserable," Kate frowns.

I snort and across the table, I take the hand of my best friend of nearly thirty years. "Sweetie, you've been defying Tom's rotten agenda ever since Elliot came back into your life." She grins lovingly.

It's true, Kate's been happier than she's ever been. My niece and Elliot's daughter, Sloan – who's now twenty and is attending UW with Phoebe, tells everyone who will listen that _Kate Kavanagh from KOMO Action News_ is her mother. And although things are slowly mending between Sloan and her real mother Lily, who still lives in LA, things will never be the same between them. That's why Sloan adores Kate so much…and vice versa. Sloan is the daughter that Kate deserved but never had. Kate was more than happy to step in and help Elliot raise such a beautiful and smart young woman.

Today, Sloan is an architect major, along with her longtime boyfriend Jaxon, who was inspired by her drive to return to college. Jaxon attends class part time and works full-time for Sloan's dad, while Sloan's taking on a full course load and works part time at Grey Construction. She and Phoebe both share that same hunger and drive in their education and work lives.

 _One of these days, wouldn't it be grand to see two Grey daughters take over their father's companies?_ I smile at the thought. Believe it or not, there are people that still think that this is a man's world. But without us girls, the world would cease to rotate on its axis.

"Yeah, it might be a good idea if Elliot stayed put in Seattle," I jive.

Kate snorts and is suddenly distracted by a new thought. " _Grandma Ana_ ," she murmurs, pondering the notion as she stares up sideways at the ceiling. Any other time, I would've lobbed the nearest object at her. But ever since I _saw_ Ronan again for the first time, I haven't been the same.

If that beautiful little boy is truly Teddy's, I can't imagine being anything _but_ overjoyed at the news of being his _Grandma Ana_.

* * *

 _Ted_

Ever since Sophie had her accident, I've insisted on driving her to and from work each day. I'll continue to do it, sacrificing my own schedule and sleep, at least until I feel more confident that she'll remain alert behind the wheel.

I tell her as much when I pick her up in front of her apartment building early Monday evening to take her in to work the night shift. Looking gorgeous as always in her hotel management ensemble, she looks somewhat irritated at me. But I can still tell that she's fighting back a smile.

"First of all, the other guy ran the red light, _not_ me," she argues from the passenger side.

"But if you slept at all the night before, you would've been able to better react," I snap.

 _Fuck – I'm turning into my father._ I close my eyes and rub them with my free hand. Sophie reaches in and takes that hand, pressing it to her cheek.

"I know," she breathes in understanding. "Hey – I'm off tomorrow. The sitter agreed to watch Ronan."

"Great. You want to do dinner and a movie downtown?" I ask. She smiles and nods. I lean over towards her and give her soft lips two long smooches before I shift the car into drive.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So, it's the first update of 2018. I apologize for the delay; it's been a crazy couple of weeks. We had another unfortunate death in our family last week._ :( _We're hanging in there. Also, work travel resumes in ten days, but I hope to have another update or two before that happens because the next two chapters are JUUU-SAAAAYYYYY! (That's 'juicy' for my translating readers)._ ;) **

**_Next – Ted and Sophie are caught dating out in public, which takes someone by complete surprise. Then, Ana and Kate meet up with a PI at the bar to see if they can help solve the mystery of Ronan T. Glenn. By the end of the chapter, Ted will get some heavy news so buckle up, because we are moving full steam ahead!_**

 ** _Thanks so much for reading! – ST2_**


	25. Chapter 25 - Linger

**Chapter 25 – Linger**

 _Wednesday, March 19, 2036_

 _Ted_

I have back-to-back meetings up until the end of the workday. Usually time flies by quickly whenever I have such an action-packed schedule. It hasn't been the case most recently – especially when I'm constantly looking forward to spending time with a certain girl who brings with her a certain sweet, sweet scent whenever she enters my car. Just the very memory of her unique aroma sends waves of electricity up and down my legs as I sit.

While thinking of _scent_ and _her_ , I idly wonder what she prefers to daub on her neck and wrists these days. Maybe I can buy her more of it as a gift, or something similar that an aromachologist picks out especially for her that'll continue to bring out her natural pheromones, keeping me as a helpless bee to her luscious honey.

My mind immediately flashes back to a time as a kid when I'd gifted Sophie with a bottle of _Chanel No. 5_ – not knowing back then – _and how could I've known? I was just a smitten young boy_ – that the iconic fragrance was associated with more _um_ … _seasoned_ women. I grin slightly at the thought.

Right now, I sit in a conference room along with two-dozen others as the CFO goes on his usual budget rant in the presence of my parents and the VP. My mind wanders back to how much fun Sophie and I had last night on our date. It was only a simple dinner and a movie – nothing more. But it just feels like every time I'm with her, it's always exciting and new.

Last night, I reiterated to her my promise of never letting go of her again. She only smiled weakly at me; she never replied. _Does she believe me or not?_ – I thought. I wonder if our fight from before still lingers in her mind. Since then, I've told her all of my dirty secrets. I have nothing else to hide.

 _Does she have anything else to hide?_ I shake away the ridiculous thought. Even if Sophie did have some other deep dark secret, I can't imagine it being a deal breaker. Sure, I freaked out a bit after finding out that she was still in love with me after she'd left me for another guy. But she believed that she was caught up in an impossible situation. We're talking _restraining order impossible_.

I wish I could lock Sophie and Mr. Taylor together in a room. They need to finally put their longstanding feud to rest. It's simple – Sophie and I are back together and Taylor knows it. She needs to let go of the past and forgive her father. If she saw the man that I saw back at the hospital, she'd take pity on him. Taylor has even admitted _his_ mistakes.

My eyes shift over to the head of the meeting room table where my father is seated next to my mother. Part of me feels that he wouldn't fight me over seeing Sophie these days. I saw how shitty he felt after he realized how wrong he was for pushing me to marry Diana. I hope to think that we are now at a point in our relationship where he will begin to trust and/or respect my decisions moving forward.

But for now, all of these things must first be discussed with Sophie before she and I come out in the open – especially the case with _her_ father. It also would be nice if I could finally meet her mother Shannon and son Ronan, too.

After our date yesterday, I took Sophie directly home. Although our night ended with me walking her to the lobby of her apartment, I was fine with that. Now don't get me wrong – I would've loved have taken her back home with me, or even just up to her apartment. It's taking ironclad restraint for me to go this long without touching her in every way. But with a little boy in her life, it's rather difficult for Sophie to engage freely on some quality alone time with me. She also had to work the morning shift the very next day.

Good thing I got to see her again earlier today when I drove her in to work. Needless to say, I cherish all of the small segments of time that I'm able to share with her. I seriously don't mind that she splits her time and affection between me, and her doted four-year-old little boy.

Maybe it's a good thing we haven't had time to be alone at her place or mine. Since making up, we haven't come close again to having sex since the night of our big fight. Lately I've been in the mindset of not pushing her in that direction. Simply spending time with her, holding her hand, and kissing her sweet soft lips has been more than enough to satisfy me.

Sophie has been my pocket-full of sunshine that I can always reach into and brighten up an otherwise mundane day. She's the very spice that my life's recipe was lacking.

When the meeting concludes, Marco, my former M&A boss leans over to me for a quick bit of small talk. I truly miss working with him on a day-to-day basis. As we stand mid-conversation, I quickly check my watch and realize that my next meeting is just five minutes away in my office.

"Catch you later, Marco," I say as I move ahead of him.

"Later, Ted," he says right before turning to his side to catch up with another colleague.

Before reaching the exit, my father suddenly grabs me by the arm, stopping me.

"Son," he utters.

I nod at both him and my mother who just interrupted their conversation with the CFO – who now moves off to the side in order to allow the three of us some privacy.

"I spoke to HR earlier and they mentioned that your team was in the process of building a new employee wellness app," Dad says.

My lips form a straight line in disguise of my annoyance. This wellness app was a new strategy that Phoebe and I recently came up with. In fact, I was just on my way to meet with her and Marisol about it. When I spoke to the head of HR on Monday about potentially implementing a new wellness app as part of the 2040 PTF initiative, I'd assumed that our brief discussion was _off the record_.

"We're only in the process of forming our proposal. Nothing's final," I assure my father.

"I was confused when I heard it. You hadn't mentioned it previously," he reacts, looking somewhat contemplative.

"I think it's a wonderful idea, Teddy," Mom interjects with a smile. "Placing every employee health-related resource under one app – it's smart."

"Agreed," my father volleys, looking at her before he turns back to me.  
"Do it," he says in a sudden verdict. _Wha…?_

My mother nods in agreement. "I'll have Lola schedule a meeting with you and me first thing Friday morning to see where you are. Maybe I can offer you some insight."

I gape at the two of them. They're blindly rubber-stamping something that my sister and I concocted, without as much as batting an eye. Have I _officially_ entered into the realm of adulthood in the sight of my parents? It sure does seem that way.

"Cool," I awkwardly reply. I _still_ can't believe it. "I'll also have an update at our next PTF meeting."

"Good," my father says, patting me on the shoulder. "We have the forecast meeting next, Mrs. Grey?" he turns to his side and asks my mother.

"That's at _three_. Next, we have media and charitable planning," she corrects. He clicks his tongue and winks at her in response when he realizes she's in fact correct.

I'll never get over how adorable my folks can be when they work side by side. When Dad drops the ball – which seldom happens – Mom's right there to pick it up.

"We'll see you later, sweetheart," my mother tells me.

There's something strange about the way she's looking at me. There's almost an air of nostalgia etched across her youthful face. Maybe she's… _proud?_ Honestly I don't know what it is. But instead of wasting any more of her time and mine, I ignore the look and lean in to kiss her quickly on the cheek in goodbye.

….

"Regular health challenges…both team and individual. Cash incentives for meeting certain criteria, such as having a yearly biometric screening and speaking with a wellness coach."

As Phoebe spouts off her ideas at the small round meeting table in the far end of my office, Marisol expeditiously transcribes it on her tablet.

"The tool should link up with the insurance company's system in order for the user to have visibility to all of their claims. They'll also be able to see results of their recent lab visit," I add. Phoebe nods in agreement.

Marisol types away before suddenly pausing to look up at us. "What about appointment notifications, as well as reminders to schedule regular check-ups?" Marisol adds.

 _Brilliant_.

"Hell yes," Phoebe says enthusiastically.

"Put that down," I order.

I beam at the two women sitting before me. One of these days, my sister is going to make a kickass CEO – and when that happens, I hope that she will take Marisol right along with her.

There's a surprise knock on the door. Marisol quickly stands, but doesn't get there before it swings open. Standing on the other side is my pal Monty donning his Sahara's white chef's coat. I blink at the out-of-place vision.

"Oh, my bad," he says apologetically. "I didn't know you were in a meeting."

I smirk. "What are you doing here, slacker?" I hear the sound of a wildly ringing phone piping from behind Monty. I look over to Marisol who's itching to answer it.

I nod, granting her permission to leave. "I think we're good for now," I tell her. Marisol quickly gathers up her things and promises Phoebe and I she'll email us everything we've discussed. She then exits, shutting the door behind her.

Monty admires my office space as he saunters over to the table where Phoebe and I sit.

"And what brings _you_ here?" Phoebe says with a curious smirk to Hanson's former high school baseball teammate – _and_ mine.

"Well look at _you_ , Miss Grey," he says, overly admiring my little sister with his beady eyes. It's a little too much for my liking. "I just got done catering a decent-sized lunch meeting for the finance department."

"I find it rather ironic that the department who's most tight-fisted with spending decides to cater a meal from a high-end club," I simper.

"Seriously," Phoebe sighs irritatingly.

Monty hunches his shoulders, brushing off our work-centered rant before refocusing his greedy eyes on my sister. He places a hand on the table right next to her and leans in. "So gorgeous, are you ready for a _real man_ who's unafraid to give a real woman like yourself exactly what she wants, what she deserves – or are you still pussyfooting around with the _altar boy?_ "

 _Really Monty?_ He has the _gall_ to come up to my job, barge into my office, and hit on my sister in my face? I should knock him out.

Phoebe narrows her eyes at him and pouts her lips. "You may think that Hanson's an altar boy from the years you've known him…playing ball and such. But with me, he's anything _but_ that at home – _especially_ in the bedroom," she purrs.

I start dry heaving from my seat while Monty whoops like a maniac. "Hell yeah – _that's_ my boy! I had him all pegged wrong. Hanson Larkin is _the man_. In fact, I think I'll stop by his office on my way out and personally give him my highest regards."

"Yes, do that," Phoebe says sassily with a wink as she stands. I am absolutely repulsed by this exchange, but my sister pays me no mind. "I'll catch you later, brother," she says to me before heading straight for the door with her notebook.

"Bye Phoebe," Monty calls out to her like an annoying little boy with an adolescent crush, but she ignores him. Still, it doesn't stop him from ogling her from head to toe until she's gone.

" _Day-yum_. She. Is. Fine. Larkin is one lucky bastard," he sighs, practically drooling with envy.

"That's my sister – you _asshole_ ," I glower.

"Well maybe your sister shouldn't be so fucking hot," he ribs. I would sock the pig square in his snout if he were anyone other than my trashy long-time friend.  
 _Yep, this is classic Monty Carlo._

"So check this out," he starts as he takes the seat Phoebe just vacated. I find it rather amusing that Monty has _zero_ regard for my time. He simply plops his ass down in a chair and begins what I'm sure will be a long and useless story about some female that he tried to fuck the other night. Never mind that he just interrupted the tail end of my meeting with my support manager and office manager.

"So, I met this gorgeous girl two weeks ago at the club during a big corporate gala," he prefaces. I roll my eyes. _Yep, I knew it._ "She fell in love with the lobster risotto and just _had_ to meet the brilliant chef face to face."

He proudly polishes his nails against his coat. I close my eyes and shake my head in rising annoyance. _Get to the point, Monty. I ain't got all fucking day._ I'm too eager to finish the remaining work in my queue so I can promptly leave here and pick up my girl from the hotel.

"The server pulls me out of the kitchen to meet her. We immediately hit it off and start talking fine cuisine. Then the conversation eventually moves from food to fun," he tells me. "Then I decided to press my luck and ask for her number. She didn't hesitate to give it to me," he beams.

I nod with a smirk. "Good. Finally, you're learning."

"Yeah, I finally picked up some game from _the master_ ," he chuckles. "So we've been talking for about a week and a half – texting and phone calls. She's a cool ass chick. I eventually get the nerve to ask her out on a date. We pin down a time when we're both not working. She's a big-time event promoter with crazy ass hours and shit, you know," Monty adds, practically bragging on her.

His prideful smile quickly wipes away before he picks his story back up. "So Saturday, I decide to send her flowers and a small stuffed teddy bear a few hours before we're set to go out. Then all of a sudden, she cancels our date. By fucking text!"

I narrow my eyes at him. "What happened?" He obviously did something to completely turn her off. It never fails – he simply doesn't know when to turn off that stupid mouth of his. And if he were to ask me ahead of time, I would've advised him to hold off on the flowers and stuffed animals until _after_ the third date.

"No clue," Monty helplessly sighs. "And she didn't even lie to me. She pretty much said – _Nah, I don't think this is gunna work for me, playa. Thanks, but no thanks._ I texted her back asking if it was something wrong I've done to make her change her mind. Ten minutes later, I get a response in form of a picture of the flowers, which looked great, along with the bear I ordered. _Ted_ …the cute, innocent little bear was wearing a t-shirt that read: _Bitch, You Is Fine_."

"What?!" I choke.

"Now, you know that gift was _sheer Monty_ ," he says in the understatement of the year. "Any other babe would've received such a gift from me – but _never_ this girl. She was classy and I was more than willing to change my naughty ways after we connected so well. But dude, I'm highly convinced that someone who works at the florist knows me and decided to fuck me over."

Reflexively, I sputter out a laugh. "Let me see the picture," I goad. Monty glowers at me, but I could care less. He asked for this after being a permanent thorn in my side for all of these years.

"I deleted that shit – I was _so_ pissed. I wanted to deliver an ass whoopin' to the florist in person, but I called them instead and lit those motherfuckers up." At this point, I am howling at my poor, pitiful friend.

"They were extremely apologetic," Monty says. "They got my order mixed up with someone else's. That particular bear was supposed to go to some dude's wife. Now why he would call his lady a _bitch_ , I don't know; I'm the last person to judge," he acquiesces.

"The florist tried to get in contact with my lady friend in order to set things right, but they couldn't reach her. They were even going to throw in an bigger set of flowers and bear… _no shirt_ ," he chuckles. "And to think, I was _so_ looking forward to coming over to her place and taking my shirt off for _her_." I roll my eyes at him.

"So, she didn't bite?"

"Hell no," he frowns. "And it wasn't even my fault this time."

"Seriously," I chuckle. "You normally manage to fuck up things all on your own. You didn't need… _what's the name of the florist_?"

"Arcadia's Roses," he seethes. "Dumb motherfuckers. I _hate_ them."

"Dude, we've been using them for _years_. We've _never_ had a problem with Arcadia's Roses."

Monty narrows his eyes at me. "Who's ' _we'_?"

"The company, my pops, me…" I rattle off.

" _You_?" he smirks. "Oh, _right_ – for Cersei Lanister."

"What?!" I laugh. "Diana didn't fuck her brother. In fact she doesn't even have a brother."

"But homegirl tried to claim the throne when it wasn't even rightfully hers. Now if that's not on some _Game of Thrones_ , shit, I don't know what is." I shake my head at my mentally stunted friend.

"So…since my new lady friend isn't speaking to me anymore, and since you're no longer boo'd up, I'm on a mission to get us both set up before cuffing season."

I gape at him. "Dude – what in the hell are you even talking about? _Cuffing season_?"

"We're only six months away, but we need to get a jump on it now so we can weed through the crops. If you wait until summer to get started, you'll get stuck with the skeezers."

I stare at my stupid friend, dumbfounded.  
"Monty, stop it. _Please_."

"I'm serious. You'll only find the drunk and loose girls in the summertime. They might be _really cute_ at first, but you can't take them home to your momma during cuffing season."

I'm running low on patience. "You sound ridiculous right now. Hey – you were obviously making decent progress with the girl you were just talking to. It was an honest mistake that wasn't even your fault. If she's reasonable, maybe she'll finally let you take her out on that date," I say in encouragement.

"Naw, man. I've already tried. I don't think I even want to be bothered with the drama if she's not willing to forgive a mistake that I didn't even make."

"You have no clue what she might've just gotten out of. Perhaps she recently broke up with a real creep, so now she rushes to judgment. You're giving up way to easily, my friend," I smirk, waving a finger at him.

He sighs. "Man, I just don't know."

"Call her back. Leave her a message – short and sweet. Only say enough to leave her wanting more. Mark my words: She'll be eating out of your hand in no time – but only if you play your cards right," I grin. My encouraging words apparently do nothing to sway him. He still looks at me with a doubtful expression.

"You even _like_ her?" I ask, questioning his motive.

"Hell _yes_ ," he say without hesitation.

"Well, there's your answer," I say poignantly.

Monty seems to reflect on what I've said. Gradually, it seems like there's some hope that he will give this girl another try. When his eyes zoom back to me, he blinks before narrowing them.

"Alright, Grey. Who is she and what has she done with my sensei?"

I immediately crack up laughing. "What in the fuck are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. This isn't _Player Ted_ I'm talking to…the man that all of the guys on the squad know and love. The same dude that can make any girl drop to her knees and _bwok_ down his cock like a starving chicken," he says, animatedly flapping his bent arms and bobbing his head.

I rub my hand over my face in weariness and quickly recall why I can't ' _Monty'_ for longer than a few minutes at a time. _Why me?_ And I fucking used to live with this nutcase. How I survived during that time, I'll never know.

" _Player Ted_ is no more," he theatrically declares. " _This is_ …this is _Whipped_ Ted. _Hubby_ Ted." I gape at him before bellowing. I'm at a loss for words. "So, who's the new _missus_?" he asks. His eyes lock onto my face, demanding straight answers.

"Don't you need to get back to Sahara? I'm sure they're missing your _mad risotto skills_ in the kitchen right now," I rag.

"Aww – Teddy's _in love_ ," he mockingly swoons, teasing me in a singsong fashion. "Why you cheesy motherfucker," he adds with a fake scowl.

I've had more than enough. "Bye, Monty. I've got work to do." I stand up and walk over to my desk and he follows me.

"Talk to me, bro," he pleads. "I need to know about the girl who dethroned Maleficent."

"Monty. _Bye_ ," I say clipped as I turn to my computer and start working.

….

After a seemingly long day, I finally pull up to the main entrance of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. Valet knows who I am now, so they don't bother me. Sophie exits the building before I have a chance to text her. Every time I see her, she never ceases to take my breath away.

I see her wave goodbye to the two valet guys who are gathered by the podium before she reaches the passenger side of my car and climbs in. I immediately lean over the center console and kiss her soft lips. She smiles when I pull away.

"Hey," I beam like a fool in love.

"Hey," she answers with a sweetness that's all her own.

Once she buckles up, I shift the car into drive.

"How was your day?" I ask, glancing over at her.

"It was rather tame. Well…at least it was until I had to personally ask some b-list celebrity to leave the hotel after housekeeping reported that his roomed smelled like a Las Vegas casino," she says matter-of-factly.

I frown. "Really?"

"Yeah," she adds. "His room smelled like he, his entourage, _and_ the entire cast of _Mad Men_ smoked in there."

I laugh at her, not failing to be amused by her affinity for binging out on extremely old television programs. It goes to show why she and I fit so well together. Like Sophie, I love watching shows that originally came out many years before I was even born. They just don't make quality programs like they used to.

"So, what happened?" I ask. I signal the car to turn right and break first before I execute the maneuver.

"Well, when I asked him to leave the hotel, he yelled at me and then proceeded to call me _Sugar Tits_ …"

"Wait a second," I say, cutting her off. I am now seething. "Who's this asshole, anyway?" If I ever meet this fucktard face to face, I will crush him with my bare hands for speaking to her like that.

"No one worth mentioning," she sighs. "So I kindly asked him once again to leave on his own, or I would be forced to call my big and burley security staff to show him the way. I also told him that I couldn't guarantee that any of his adoring fans or the paparazzi wouldn't be standing outside of the front door with cameras and camera phones in hand to capture him in being dragged out by security. I essentially told him that we could either do this the easy way, or the hard way."

Mid-acceleration, I briefly take my eyes off the road and beam at her. "Miss Sophie Taylor – I don't know whether to be turned on by you, or deathly afraid." She blushes a bright pink at my praise. "You strong powerful woman, you. I'm just sorry to hear that you had to put up with that bullshit today."

"Don't be sorry. It definitely pumped a little excitement into an otherwise boring Wednesday. It certainly helped to pass the time. I've been looking forward all day to having dinner with you," she smiles oh so sexily.

"I can most certainly relate," I say, reaching for her closest hand and pressing it to my lips. "So, what do you have a taste for?"

"Tacos," she sparkles, practically bouncing in her seat.

"Wasn't it just _Taco Tuesday_ yesterday…with Ronan?" I remind her with a smirk.

Her smile dips slightly, but is still present. "It was, but I only made enough for him. I didn't have any. I had dinner with you afterwards, _remember_?"

"Ah," I exclaim at the recollection. "So tacos, huh? I know just the place."

Sophie takes my right hand and folds it in hers on her lap. I steal a glance of her gorgeous profile, and my heart soars. "I know you're tired of hearing me saying this, but you just don't know how happy I am that you're safe and unharmed from the accident."

When she flashes me a sentimental smile, I suddenly think about how happy her father would be if he could only see her now. "Believe it or not, it would've completely destroyed your dad if anything happened while you two were still estranged," I say to her. I catch her rolling her eyes as I ready to make a left turn.

"I still don't want anything to do with him," she says, playing with my fingers in her lap. "He's the reason we broke up."

"I know, but we're both past grown now. No one can stand in our way now," I argue. "I think it would be kind of cool if Mr. Taylor could finally meet his grandson." Immediately, she drops my hand from her lap and turns cold. I nearly lose my grip of the steering wheel with the other hand. I quickly gather my composure and study her once we reach the next red light.

"That will never happen," she murmurs under her breath.

And in that moment, I decide to back off from the topic of her father. I completely understand why Taylor was so adamant about me not mentioning him to Sophie. This is much more serious than I thought.

"Why are you mentioning him all of a sudden?" she asks with a puzzled squint.

"I'm sorry – I didn't mean to harp on it," I say, quietly hoping that she doesn't prod me for additional details.

 _She can't know that her father came by to see her at the hospital, or paid for her super pricy lawyer…or had a hand in her landing her dream job._

….

Thankfully, our time over dinner was enough to erase the uncomfortable tension from earlier. I don't know what I was thinking playing my entire hand like that. The healing between Sophie and her father needs to happen organically.

"Thanks for dinner, as always," she beams after I sign the check.

"Of course. Although, I much rather taste _your_ fabulous cooking over going out to eat," I tease.

"Well if you're lucky, I may cook for you tomorrow night," she says all too sweet. I smile wide at her. "I'll ask my mom to keep Ronan at her place for the night and have her bring him home Friday morning since that's my day off."

"You and Ronan have any big plans?" I ask. For some reason, she tenses up when I ask this. _I wonder why every time I veer into the topic of her son, Sophie essentially freezes up on me._

"We're spending the day at the Children's Museum," she says eventually.

"That's fantastic. I used to _love_ going there as a kid. He'll have a blast. Has he ever been?"

She nods. "It's one of his most favorite places to go. I think I have an aspiring scientist on my hands," she says wistfully. And I idly wonder once more why she's being so distant. We were having such a good time earlier – and I long to have that again, so I quickly change the subject.

" _The Lion King's_ coming to the Opera House in a couple of weeks," I tell her.

She gasps. "I've heard. I _love_ The Lion King."

I narrow my eyes at her with a sly grin and she narrows her eyes back at me.

"I know exactly what that means," she giggles.

"You know me all too well, Miss Taylor."

"Now I have to find something to wear to the Opera House," she beams, staring up at the ceiling.

"I'll take you shopping."

"Teddy," she says, now looking at me with scolding eyes. "You know you don't have to do that."

"But I want to. I enjoy spending time with you…even if it's just to shop," I respond.

She shakes her head in mere disbelief. "Men hate going shopping with women."

"Not me," I smirk.

"What planet do you come from, Ted Grey? I don't deserve such a guy," she breathes with a chuckle.

"Yeah you do," I wink at her. "Ready to go?"  
She nods.

….

Sophie and I walk hand in hand crossing the parking lot. We're talking and laughing, and at one point she leans her head over against my shoulder mid-stroll. The Mexican restaurant is in the middle of a plaza along with a dozen other retail businesses. It's a pretty hopping area, so we had to park quite a distance away.

I offered to bring the car up to Sophie, but she insisted on walking along with me. And if I'm being completely honest with myself, I'm rather enjoying this time with her, holding her hand as we walk and talk together. It just feels like I'm _really_ hers and she's _really_ mine.

We're about a few yards away from the car when a couple looks at me and does a double take. The female looks to be especially taken aback. I suddenly feel Sophie's hand stiffening in mine. My mind's elsewhere, so it takes me a few beats to register that I am in the presence of Phoebe and Hanson.

 _Dammit – why am I always running into these two yahoos at the most inopportune times?_

"Oh my God!" Phoebe squeals as if she just saw her teen idol live and in the flesh. But she's not screaming at _me_. Phoebe immediately runs up to Sophie, and Sophie lets go of my hand in order to meet her.

The two girls hug each other so hard and practically weep like two long lost friends who have finally reunited. It's an incredibly heartwarming moment to see. Meanwhile, Hanson and I awkwardly stand there and watch the two girls reconnect.

With her hands still on Sophie's arms, Phoebe leans back and examines her. "Oh my God – _Sophie_! You look _amazing_!"

" _Phoebe_ ," Sophie gasps in utter shock. "You're _beautiful_!"

"You too!" my sister gushes. I smirk at the two of them.

"Where did _you_ …?" Phoebe starts, but then she stops herself and suddenly lets go of Sophie. She takes three steps back and searches both Sophie and I with a very critical eye. Suddenly, a scandalous grin takes over her face. "What's _this_?" she says, happily pointing back and forth between Sophie and me.

Just like two children with our hands caught in the cookie jar, both Sophie and I begin to act extremely bashful.

"We're just hanging out," I mumble. Phoebe knows right away that I'm completely full of shit.

"Does Mom and Dad know?" she says excitedly. When she catches our dejected expressions, her face instantly drops. " _Oh_."

"Yeah, we were keeping things sort of quiet – for now. There's unfortunately a negative history there," I say stone-faced.

"And I'm absolutely clueless about any of this," Hanson sighs.

"I'll fill you in later," Phoebe stage whispers to her boyfriend. Sophie and I chuckle.

"Sophie," I say to her at my side. "You've met Hanson before, right?"

She looks over at him and nods with a sweet smile. Suddenly, his eyes widen at the recollection. _Yes, Larkin – you once had a crush on my sisters' babysitter, too._ But I never fessed up to him that she belonged to me even back then. With me being in high school at the time, it was too _forbidden_ to disclose such news – even to my best friend.

"So where did you guys just come from?" Phoebe asks the two of us.

"La Mesa Azul," Sophie replies.

"That's where we're headed," Hanson says.

"Cool," I add.

"So, how long has this _um_ …been going on?" Phoebe inquires awkwardly.

"A little over six weeks?" I say with uncertainty as I look over to Sophie for confirmation. She smiles and nods. She's always been much better at remembering important dates and durations than me.

Phoebe can't take her eyes off of Sophie and I, but when she finally turns and catches the hangry expression on poor Hanson's face, she remembers herself. "Well, I won't keep you. And don't worry, your secret is most safe with me," she says with an excited grin as she gestures to zip up her mouth and lock it with an imaginary key.

"I appreciate it, lil' sis," I smirk.

"But understand that we need to have a double date soon. Discrete or not – I _must_ see Sophie," Phoebe demands, but does so lovingly. Her eyes return to her long lost big sister whom she's missed terribly over the years.

"Absolutely," Sophie smiles wide. "It's mandatory."

"Fine," I sigh, exasperated with my sister. "We'll set something up."

"Yay!" Phoebe cheers. She jumps up and hugs Sophie once again. "Let's exchange numbers _now_!" she peps as she yanks her phone from her shoulder bag.

 _Gosh, Pheeb_. I roll my eyes at her and Hanson laughs.

* * *

 _Thursday, March 20, 2036_

 _Ana_

Kate's been on the ball. She called Tuesday night informing me that one of her contacts wanted to meet with me at the Zig Zag Café early Thursday evening – which is finally here. Kate doesn't have to work at the station until eight, so thankfully she'll be able to join us.

Most importantly, I wanted to know how Kate's meeting with the lawyers went. She says that she wanted to wait before our meeting with her PI guy to tell me everything. So Kate and I arrive at the bar thirty minutes ahead of schedule.

Sitting at a small table with four chairs, the waitress promptly brings us our yummy strawberry mojitos and leaves us to it.

"So," Kate starts. "Tom signed the papers."

"Yes!" I say in celebration.

"And he brought his young Russian whore along to flaunt."

I quickly turn sour. "Are you kidding me? What an asshole," I scowl.

"Oh – and she's real pretty, too. Poor tramp. She's totally wasting her time with Tom's micro-penis."

I practically choke on my drink. She continues. "But I wasn't shaken by her presence at all; it was typical Tom. I didn't expect any less, but I'm just glad that it wasn't more. And most importantly, he finally signed the fucking papers," Kate beams as if she'd just won the lottery.

"But _still_ ," I frown. "Bringing his girlfriend to your divorce negotiation and signing was a total dick move."

"Well – _That's So Tom_. Anyway, we agreed that he would keep the house and get nothing else. I'd walk away and get nothing, which I already did four years ago. Today, the divorce is signed, sealed and delivered. The judge signed off on it first thing this morning," she beams.

"Thank God," I sigh in utter relief.

Kate is now _totally free_ from this long ass sham of a marriage from a legal standpoint. But part of me wonders if she is _emotionally free_ from it all. I know that she's over the moon with Elliot, but part of me is afraid that marriage has left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Elliot loves her without a doubt, and Kate absolutely loves him. But I wonder if he's eager to marry her, while she's not as willing to get married again. However, I put those lingering thoughts on hold and bask in the glory of Kate's newfound freedom. We toast to the glorious occasion and continue to drink up in hopes that our visitor who's on his way can help me solve a nagging puzzle.

 _Is Ronan actually my grandson?_

Fifteen minutes later, Kate and I sit across the table from an older gentleman – about in his early sixties. Don Locke is short and husky in stature, donning a tan jacket, dad-jeans and a dark gray newsboy cap. While in the business for over four decades, Mr. Locke's past clients include the police department as well as a few notable award winning investigative journalists from all mediums – television, radio, and print. Hailing from Massachusetts, Locke is supposedly one the best in the business.

After Kate introduces us, I give him the entire rundown of why I've sought his help. I tell him about Shannon, Ronan and the whole bit from start to finish. At some point, I realize that I need to cut away and backtrack to explain the past relationship between Teddy and Sophie. Then I begin to connect the dots for him. Mr. Locke seems to be quite intrigued by my story.

"So you see – we may be in a bit of a time crunch. I need to know if this little boy belongs to my son before people start to grow more suspicious about me digging around, and decide to move the boy away," I tell him.

"Ma'am, have you thought about contacting the lady's daughter and asking her yourself?" the guy says in a heavy New England accent. And I know right away that Kate's _'source'_ isn't too bright. _Did you not hear what I just said? She might move if I catch on!_

"Or better yet," he continues. "Have you spoken to your boy? He would know if he boned her." I gape at him.

"Excuse me," Kate snaps. "That ' _boy'_ is my nephew!" I'm amused that she's quick to snap his neck, when she was saying similar things about my son just two days ago.

"Look ladies – I'll do what I can, but I'll warn you that if your kid finds out about my investigation, he may be royally pissed," Locke grunts.

"So don't let him find out, then!" Kate bites. "Look, Charlie told me that you were the very best. If I'm barking up the wrong tree…"

"No, I'm your guy," he insists. "I'm just trying to prepare you for what may come. Look, I'll get my ears on the ground. If I need to interrogate anyone, I'll be sure to warn you first."

" _Interrogate_?" I gasp, eyes gaping widely at him.

"Yeah, I've worked as a specialist during _Operation Desert Storm_. I've been thoroughly trained in the art of _'extreme questioning'_. You know – waterboarding… _whatever it takes_ to get the job done."

"You've _gotta_ be fucking kidding me," I sigh, throwing my hands up in surrender.

Kate has completely had it with this guy. "Look, we appreciate you coming out. We'll give you a call you if we need you. In the meantime, just lay back," she says, proudly wearing her infamous _'fuck off'_ expression.

"Are you certain?" he says, looking like he just may have fucked up a major job. "I can get started…"

"No – we're sure," I say all too quickly. "Thanks," I say, nervously extending a hand.

When the man is finally a safe distance away, Kate and I immediately crack up laughing.

"What the fuck, Kavanagh?" I squeal.

"I'm _so_ sorry. I didn't know the guy would be such a nutcase," she sighs.

"So I take it that you don't have any better ideas," I say deadpan.

"What about Christian's guy?" she suggests.

"Oh _no_ …I don't need Christian involved," I shake my head profusely.

"I said Christian's _guy_ , not _Christian_ ," Kate reiterates.

"It's one in the same. Grey pays his guys so much that they are one hundred percent loyal to him. Telling Welch is like telling Christian himself."

"Fuck," she sighs.

I drop my head in my hand while my elbow is propped on the table.  
 _So what next?_

"Although I hate to admit it, Major Dumbass did make an excellent point." I raise my head and squint at Kate, befuddled. "You need to talk to Teddy."

I sigh.

"Ana, I'm serious. Talk to him in the morning. In fact, pencil him in after he's had his first cup of coffee. You'd be surprised what people will tell you after they've had their morning java."

I shake my head at my best friend. _I don't believe her._

"Just ask close-ended questions, like – _Son, did you fuck Sophie Taylor without a condom anytime during the months of August and September in the year 2031 – yes or no_?"

"Kate!" I squeal, beyond flabbergasted.

" _Well_?" she says matter-of-factly.

"I'm _not_ going to ask him that!" I say, irritated.

"Well, you really don't want to know the truth, then," she says point blank.

I sigh again. Honestly, I _do_ want to know. In fact, _not knowing_ is slowly killing me. I can't function during the day without Ronan being in the center of my thoughts. It may sound crazy, but I feel such a strong connection with him.

I love all of my children. They are my entire world. And when I look at Ronan, I see exactly the same thing I see when I look at my five kids.

I need to know if he's my grandson. I _must_ know. I check the calendar on my phone and perk up once I realize something. "I have a meeting scheduled in my office first thing Friday morning… _with Teddy_ ," I say.

"Good. It'll give us ample time to come up with some good questions for him," Kate replies.

* * *

 _Thursday, March 20, 2036_

 _Sophie_

"Mommy – look!"

As I'm tidying up the kitchen after our pancake breakfast, Ronan sits nearby at the dinette table along with his little toolbox filled with pencils, crayons, and markers – all neatly organized in their unique, individual compartments. He holds up a page in his drawing flipbook that's done mostly in crayon.

"Oh my goodness, honey. That's a beautiful galaxy you drew," I say in sincere amazement.

"It's a brand new galaxy in our solar system," he explains.

"Oh _really_? What's it called?" I say, looking over my shoulder as I now load the dishwasher.

"The Ronan Taylor Galaxy," he says so proudly.

My little boy is such a wonder. He places his book back on the table and flips the page to start a new masterpiece on a blank sheet. His legs and feet are tucked under him as he sits in the chair appearing much taller than he really is. He's wearing one of my favorite pair of rugged little-man jeans along with his yellow Minions sweater and matching socks.

I smirk at him. "Just _Ronan Taylor_?"

"Yes – just like your name is _Sophie Taylor_ , my name is _Ronan Taylor_ ," he says pointedly.

"Sweetie," I start, readying the wet cloth to wipe down the counters. "My last name is Taylor. Your _middle name_ is Taylor."

"But can't we have the same last name? Just like the other kids have the same last name as their mommy?"

My heart skips a beat, but I hold it together in order to protect my son. I walk to his side for a moment and stand over his shoulder. "Now if you and I shared the same last name, your name would actually be Ronan _Taylor Taylor_. Now doesn't that sound silly?" I say, fluffing up his previously perfectly combed hair. _I'll definitely have to comb it again when Mom gets here._

"No – that sounds _really cool_ ," he gasps in wonder. "Ronan Taylor Taylor. _Ronan Taylor Taylor_." He begins to chant it again and again quietly under his breath as he starts to draw – using a marker this time. I quickly get a thought in my head that nearly causes me to panic.

 _Even_ _ **he**_ _knows his name's not right._

Starting many weeks ago, Ronan has been on a little tear over his friend from swim class – Ted's little brother. It nearly broke our hearts (my mother's and mine) to separate them. Those two little boys have done nothing to deserve being kept apart. Ronan likes to wear his Minions stuff even more these days because it was one of the things that he had in common with Topher.

But when my mind tries to go there, I immediately pull myself away before I fall right into the depths. If I don't keep a handle on things, I will utterly fall apart – just as I nearly did the night that Ted and I got into that fight.

 _I've come all this way. I can't be stupid._

Then I think that perhaps I'm too late for that. I've already fallen into something that's only going to get more and more complicated as time progresses. I continue to see Ted, even though I know that it's going to get very messy. But whenever I'm with him, I simply get caught up in the moment. I end up throwing all caution to the wind.

I don't want to lose whatever it is we have. Is there a way to finally be set free and still get to keep the love of my life? I've been searching for this answer for weeks… _years_ , even. So far, I've only come up empty.

Pretty soon, my mother is opening up the door and entering the apartment.

"Hey guys," she calls out.

"Hey, Ma," I mutter.

"Granny!" Ronan squeals from the table.

"Ro-ro!" Shannon calls back to him as she walks over to him and kisses him on the forehead. "Are you ready to spend the night with me?"

"Yes! Can we watch all of the Minions movies today?" he says with blue puppy dog eyes. He is definitely hard to resist when he pulls out that little number from his mischievous bag of tricks. I laugh.

"Of course," my mother replies. "Why don't you go and get your things from your room and we'll get ready to go."

"Here – Granny, look at what I drew," he says, flipping back his work in progress to show his grandmother his recent work of art.

"Oh my word," she gasps. "Ronan…honey, that's _beautiful_."

"Thank you," he says, folding his book by the glossy cover to close it all the way. He hops on his feet and makes his way over to his room.

My mother looks over at me as I rinse the dishtowel in the sink. "So, what's going on with you this evening after work?" she asks.

"I think I'll relax for a bit," I say nonchalantly. "Tomorrow's the day Ronan's been most looking forward to. Oh, and remember…you'll have to drop us off at the dealership in the morning so I can pick up the new car," I remind her.

She nods but pushes on to something else. "Are you still seeing that business man you met at work?"

Oh, geez. Not this again.

 _Nope – I am not going there. I am not opening up a can of worms and telling her that I've been secretly dating Christian Grey's son. She will freak the hell out_.

I give her an ever so slight nod before I busy myself with wiping around Ronan's things on the dinette table.

"Things getting rather serious between you and him?" she prods again.

I know exactly what she's doing. "Mom – give it a rest. I'm just hanging out with a great guy," I say in a sigh as I place down the cloth and begin to arrange all of Ronan's art supplies into one neat little pile.

I can tell by the temperature of the air in this room that she's not the least bit satisfied with my answer. "You've been seeing him for over a month now. Don't you think that he should at least meet someone in your family?" I can tell that as her eyes briefly scan my apartment, she's looking for the photographs that were once visible when I stayed with her. "Remember, you have your son to think about," she preaches to me for the hundredth time.

I suddenly snap. "I _know_ ," I say in extreme irritation.

She acquiesces. "Fine. Just be careful, okay? You know that I love you." Ronan comes running out, dragging his overnight bag behind him. "I love you both," my mother reiterates. She pats her grandson, my sweet little guy on his head before she turns to me with a bittersweet smile and holds out her arm. I fall into it and briefly hug her back.

"I know," I murmur, subdued.

….

An hour and a half later, I'm walking away from Ted's car and towards the hotel with the hugest smile on my face. _Boy that man can kiss._ I swear, his snogs serves as my fuel to get me through the most mundane of workdays.

Just before I reach the revolving door, I turn around and Ted is still parked. With dark tinted windows, it's hard to tell if he's even looking at me. _Maybe he's checking a quick email on his phone before he sets off to work._ But when the passenger window comes crawling down, I know for a fact that he was staring at me. He gives me the biggest smile that says _I can't wait to see you tonight._

Tonight.

Yes, tonight – I'm going to make Ted a chicken with creamy wine sauce and angel hair pasta. He was very excited when I told him about it. It's something that he hasn't had for years that my stepmother used to cook for his family.

I'm kind of excited by the fact that Ted won't just be dropping me off after work tonight and driving away. However, I can't help but be slightly nervous about potentially having another night like the one we had before my accident. I just know that whatever there's left to tell will absolutely change everything.

 _I'm not quite ready to face that yet._

In the meantime, I promised myself that I'd simply enjoy his company. It's okay to tell him that _I love him_ , because it's the truth. It's okay to kiss him. It's okay if kissing leads to other things. But for right now, I can't allow myself to fall apart. The guilt and shame that I continue to feel whenever I allow myself to feel it is enough to choke the very life from me.

The front office in the morning is quite hopping as many our corporate guests are checking out in droves in preparation of traveling back home in time to enjoy the weekend. There's a team of three working the front desk – two gentlemen and Stacey. I decide to pitch in.

My good friend Stacey, who I lived with while fighting for custody of Ronan, just started working here last week. She's technically a trainee, but that's pretty much a joke considering how long she's worked in the hotel industry. It only took her three days to learn the different systems and nuances that the Olympic has in comparison to the Marriott, and she took off running. I'm so glad that I was able to get her in here. She loves working here, and it shows.

When the rush finally comes to a halt early afternoon, one of the guys goes home and the other one takes a well-earned break, leaving Stacey and me alone at the counter. She approaches my end of the counter and leans my way.

"So, I saw the hot guy who dropped you off earlier when he rolled down his window," she smirks.

I blink, taken by surprise and not knowing what to say at first. I jump straight into defense mode. "It was just a ride," I say nervously. "I bought a new car with the cash from the accident the other day. I pick it up tomorrow."

I don't know why I'm still so nervous. I mean, Stacey knows who Ted is, but perhaps she'd forgotten all about him. He used to come up to the Marriott to see me all of the time. And why do I feel the need to still creep around with him in public? Phoebe now knows, for crying out loud.

"But if I were you, I'd keep taking _that ride_ from Mr. Hottie," Stacey says – but I don't think that she's fully aware of the double entendre. "Is he _yours_ – officially?" she asks with a hopeful grin.

I sigh but I'm unable to hide my contentment. With a crooked smirk, I nod.

" _Yes_ ," she quietly cheers on my behalf. And with that, I step away from my good friend and head right into the management office to check a few emails and return a couple of phone calls.

In the management office, I have a small desk off in one corner of the room. One among three others, it's nothing fancy – but it's mine. Right by the phone is a beautiful royal blue potted orchid that Ted had sent here the day I returned to work from my auto accident. And next to that is a photo of Ronan when he was just three. He's climbing up the ladder of a small slide at the park.

The photograph's rather odd since the viewer can only see the back of him. I've had a couple people question me about why I don't have traditional portraits of him instead. I tell them that I simply like how this photo captures my life as a mother and how I see my child as I'm watching him closely from the sidelines. The image is the true essence of what being a mom is about.

I feel that explanation works better than the one that goes – _I'm extremely paranoid and don't want pictures of my kid's face sitting freely for just anyone to see it._

After fifteen minutes of calls and quick emails, I finally have a chance to update the digital manager's log for the afternoon. But suddenly, my phone starts to vibrate in my blazer pocket. Being a mom, any non-business related call at work might cause the nerves to startle a little.

When I finally grab hold of my phone and view the screen, I'm surprised to see Phoebe's name. I answer it.

"Hey Phoebe."

"Sophie!" she says cheerily. "I catch you at a bad time?"

"Not at all," I say. "I'm alone in an office at work. What's up?"

"You were on my mind. It was just so awesome seeing you yesterday," she says ardently. Her tenderness warms my heart.

"You too," I sincerely reply.

"I've missed you so much," she gushes. "When I saw you with Teddy, I was just thrilled. I've always hoped that you'd um… _reconnect_."

Her statement takes me by surprise. I had no idea that she even knew what was going on with us way back before I stopped babysitting her and her sisters. I was under the impression that their parents shielded their little girls from all of that.

"That's very sweet of you to say, Phoebe." It's all I can assemble at the moment in a reply. My feelings are all over the place – happy, anxious, nervous – but most of all, I'm overly cautious.

"I don't know if my brother ever told you about his evil ex-fiancée," she says with disdain dripping from her voice.

"Diana," I chuckle. "I've met her before."

" _Really_? Oh my God…she's such a _b_ …ugh!" she groans out in frustration. I laugh. "Did Teddy tell you what she did to me and Hanson?"

"Yes, I heard. That was _pretty bad_ ," I understate with a sigh.

" _My brother_ – bless his heart. Mom and Dad wanted to squash her like the conniving little spider that she is. But Teddy wasn't having it. She didn't deserve him back then when she had him, and she most certainly doesn't deserve his kindness and mercy after everything she's done. Teddy's way too forgiving for his own good."

Her words cause the pit of my stomach to bottom out.  
 _Substitute Diana for me; would Phoebe feel the same if she knew everything?_  
I quickly flick away the thought.

"He deserves the very best, but I'm sure you know that," she says, now more upbeat.

"Absolutely," I breathe. And I can't help the feeling of dread that starts to spread from my stomach and up into my chest and throat. It's a suffocating feeling that I wish would dissolve. It doesn't.

"I've always known how my brother felt about you. I was happy when he finally opened up to me about you. I've always suspected that there was something going on between the two of you, but I was never quite sure until he told me," Phoebe says with a voice that sparkles straight through the phone. It touches me. "I'm just upset that I didn't know about you two reuniting until _after_ my 21st birthday party. I would've _loved_ to have seen you there," she vocally pouts.

"You do understand why we've been so discrete?" I say cautiously.

"Oh, absolutely," she replies insistently. "I knew that there was something different about Teddy recently. I must say…he's been much happier since you two started hanging out again. I'd even go as far as to say that he's the happiest he's ever been."

Phoebe's news renders me speechless. It's also true that Ted has done the same for me. Outside of my son who's everything to me, I didn't have much of a life. I've never had any hope for true love. After I lost Ted, I've discarded the very idea of having a soul mate… _ever_. He was _it_ for me, and he was no longer in the picture.

 _You saw to that, Sophie._

"You and Teddy are both adults, so screw anyone who doesn't like it that you're together. Just know that I am one hundred percent _pro-Steddy_ ," Phoebe quips. _Steddy?_ I blurt out a laugh and she giggles. "It was either that or _Tophie_ …but that sounds entirely too much like Topher – and my little brother wouldn't take too kindly sharing a similar sounding name with my favorite new 'ship."

Phoebe Grey is a riot. She has always been one of my favorite people. I'm so happy to have reconnected with her. I just hope that she doesn't regret reconnecting with me later. The last thing I want is for her current fondness of me to change into abhorrence.

….

When Ted arrives to pick me up from work, he's apparently changed out of his Friday business casual gear from this morning and into a Seahawks tee and jeans. And even though he looks scrumptious, I'm a little out of sorts.

My mind has been all over the place since hanging up with Phoebe earlier. Now there's someone who knows about Ted and I, and that someone is rooting for us. There's this uncomfortable amount of pressure that's radiating. I'm expected to meet certain expectations now. It's frightening – especially when you know that you could possibly be worse than the girl he had before.

It's terrifying.

Ted leans over to kiss me after I shut the car door and then studies me.

"What's wrong? Did everything go okay at work today?" he asks with a deep fold between his brows.

"Yeah – it was good," I say, trying my best to disguise this lingering dulling feeling in my gut.

He narrows his eyes. "I don't believe you."

I smile a bit. "Ted, it's fine. Honest."

"You promise?" I nod in high assurance. "Okay," he says with a smirk, still rather skeptical. He then starts to drive and gets a sudden thought. "Hey, you remember that time I gave you that bottle of half-used perfume when I was eight…for your birthday?"

I crack up laughing at the memory. "Yes. I was over to my dad's for a weekend visit."

"I was _so_ fucking excited to finally give that to you," he chuckles. "I had no clue when you'd be back on the property. So when you finally came, I was ecstatic." His memory affixes a permanent smile on my face.

"I put it on the very next day," I giggle.

Ted is trying hard to maintain composure behind the wheel, but is losing the battle, as he is nearly breathless from laughing. "When Pheeb and I were blowing bubbles with you out in the meadow, she kept saying that someone smelled just like our Grandma Grace."

My stomach practically hurts from guffawing. "I can't believe you swiped that bottle of perfume from you grandmother to give to me."

He briefly turns to me as he drives and says, "Love makes you do stupid things, Miss Taylor."

His words stop me cold in my tracks.

 _You've done a lot of stupid things too, Sophie – in the name of love._

I try to push away the sour feeling, but it continues to drift inside of me all the way home.

….

When Ted and I arrive in my apartment, I briefly excuse myself while he's on a work call in order to change into sweat pants and a gently used UW t-shirt. When I resurface, I get a jump on dinner and Ted's eager to help the second he ends his call.

Not quite two hours later, we're stuffed and slouching together on the living room sofa. Both he and I are barefoot and beyond comfortable as Ted points the remote to the television, bringing up the streaming channel. Neither he nor I can agree on what to watch. Completely in relaxation mode, I lean into him and place my head against his chest. He kisses my hair and moans. Soon, the remote is tossed aside.

"We're only kidding ourselves. _Netflix and Chill_ – is that still a thing?" he jokes.

I laugh but I quickly turn serious once our eyes meet. Thirty seconds of staring feels like a lifetime. I'm falling in love with him all over again. Without any rationalization whatsoever, I kiss him. I can tell that my action takes him by surprise, but he finally gives in and blends into the moment, letting it consume him.

We're more heated than the time before. Three minutes later, without even asking, he picks me up in his strong arms and carries me over to my bedroom. I'm burning with a severe yearning and desire for him, so when he tosses me onto the bed like a rag doll, I'm like a siren unleashed.

Ted crawls on top of me and we kiss like mad people. I'm tugging at his shirt as he slides his lips down to devour my neck. I moan, relishing in his touch and the eagerness of his beautiful mouth. He's soon helping me out of my t-shirt, and my sweatpants follow afterwards. Once he masterfully slips his t-shirt over his head, my mouth salivates over his perfectly chiseled upper torso.

He's back on top of me, skin against skin as his arms wrap around me and reach the fasteners of my bra strap. Soon, it's loose and he slides it over and off of my arms until I'm completely naked, except for my panties.

He begins to caress my entire body as if it's to be cherished.  
I've never felt so loved.  
So wanted.

"I love you," he murmurs, and every nerve ending in my body ignites. I'm floating on a cloud that's far beyond reach of the ground. It's both altogether liberating and entirely too dangerous at the same time.

"Teddy," I moan.

As my mouth and tongue entangle with his, my hands smooth up and down the soft and rugged skin of his back. Just the feel of him gives me chills. When his face lowers and his mouth quickly claims one of my breasts, my body bows from the bed. I didn't know that my body ached so much for him. I never knew that I had such an unquenchable thirst for everything that he has for me. No matter what he gives and how much of it he gives, I always want more.

My hands move from the outside of him to the inside. They glide down his sides until I reach the fastener of his jeans. While taking my other breast into his mouth, his hands echo mines and reach for my lacy red panties. Soon, one hand breaches and touches me directly there. I groan.

"I can feel you, Angel. You're _so_ wet," he exhales, his blue eyes gazing up at me in extraordinary awe.

And I can feel _him,_ too. He's rock solid for me right through his jeans. Greedy for him, I frantically pull the fastener apart. I am panting so hard as his fingers continue to caress the outer layer of my sex. At the same time, I unzip his jeans and tug his boxers down. My hand slides into them and reach his glorious erection. I groan in desperate anticipation, and so does he.

As I begin to stroke him with my fist inside of his jeans, he inserts a finger inside of me. "Ah," I gasp. He slides up and sticks his tongue inside of my ear, sending me into a daze.

He and I eventually fall into a rhythm all our own as his mouth returns to mine – moaning and groaning together at the intense contact. His fit, taut stomach ebbs and flows against my arm as I jerk his cock up and down. I groove with him as he touches me. Then one finger suddenly turns into two, setting me ablaze.

" _Jesus, Soph_ …" he gasps. "I want you _so_ fucking bad."

I moan. "Me too."

He kisses me hard and I know immediately that this is it. _We're finally going to do this._ He lifts away from me to tug his jeans and boxers completely off before sliding off my panties, leaving the two of us completely naked and panting something fierce. He presses his warm bare body against mine – his erection pulsating against my inner thigh, teasing me – as his mouth takes mine once again.

Soon, his lips surpass ravenous as he brings them back down to my breasts, savoring each one. I am beyond the point of surrender. I'm at his total mercy – loving _him_ ; cherishing _him_.

Just being here with him like this, it feels like I'm finally home. Not realizing it until now, I was truly a vagabond for all those years. I completely forgot what this felt like until now. A few beats later, Ted's mouth is covering my sex. I am wild and he is relentless. I'm grasping his mane of hair with both hands as my thighs rise up with his shoulders. He's hungry, so he simply takes all he can while I'm reaching the point of falling.

" _Ah_ – I'm gunna come," I cry out.

He moans but doesn't stop what he's doing, pushing me to the max. And I scream –my entire body shaking. _Fuck_ , I haven't felt this in a very long time, since _…him._

He's then back up and my mouth meets his. I taste both him and me, and it's oddly refreshing. It doesn't take long for me to return back to earth, and I'm quickly yearning for more of what he has for me.

Ted reaches for a condom that he apparently placed on standby when he removed his jeans. Just before he rips it open, I quickly snatch it away. He gazes at me with narrow and confused, but _hungry_ eyes.

"I'm clean and on the pill," I rasp. "I want you to come inside of me."

Ted's eyes grow large before he nods his approval and slides back onto me. I toss the condom to the floor as he brings my legs, _up…up…up…_ The front of my thighs are firmly pressed against my breasts just before he slides into me and stills.

" _Oh!_ " I moan.

"Oh, _fuck_ – you feel _so_ fucking good, Angel," he growls.

I moan again and he starts to move in me at a steady pace. It doesn't take long for us to get eager. I want more, then _he_ wants more. It's a sensual tit for tat game that I hope he and I will get to play all night long.

After all these years, and after all of the tears, we finally find ourselves back in each other's tight embrace. It's so liberating and frightening all at once. I push for more and he gives me exactly what I want. And at the same time, I pray that I'm giving him just what he needs.

"Sophie…baby…"

"Teddy, _please_. More."

Soon, my entire bed is essentially lifting from the ground with the speed and force that he's giving me. I can barely make a sound because we are moving entirely too fast. Before we know it, I'm clinching all around him and bursting forth yet again.

" _Ahhh_ …" I cry out in the most colossal orgasm that I've ever had. His groaning gets louder until he finally releases violently inside of me. I'm drenched in our combined sweat, and so is he.

He pulls out and tugs me into his arms, kissing me all over my face and mouth. "That _was_ …" He has no words and neither do I. I simply smile and nod in agreement.

"Can you believe how long we've been away from each other?" he says in utter disbelief.

"No, I can't," I breathe.

"We belong together," he declares.

"I know," I answer back.

He kisses me once more and we hold each other for what seems to be an hour.

….

I glance over at the clock on my nightstand. _It's 11:30._ Ted and I don't appear to be anywhere close to sleeping. Soon, we're kissing all over again; our hands are re-exploring one another. The spark re-ignites and then he's back on top of me.

Not before long, we are making sweet, slow love. I'm slowly going out of my mind as Teddy stares deep into my eyes in my dimly lit room, and telling me repeatedly with his body and with his words how much he truly loves me.

Then something happens on the inside. I begin having ominous thoughts that show up out of nowhere.

 _Phoebe, protecting her brother –_

 _"Teddy deserves the very best, but I'm sure you know that."_

 _Are you giving him your best, Sophie? No, you're not._

The thickness of guilt begins to ooze like a thick sludge down my chest.

 _Aiden and his sacrifice –_

 _"You don't have to do this," I plead._

 _"I know, but I want to," he answered.  
"I'm going to treat this child like he's my very own.  
No one will ever know the difference. "_

He was all too eager to do it because of his shitty upbringing in Nevada with _present-but-absent_ parents. He promised himself that he'd never be like them. He thought that if he had a child that he could call his own, it'd be just enough to help him kick the habit for good. But it only got worse.

 _Oh no._

And then, there were all of the lies I told.  
Lies that I thought I absolutely _had_ to tell.

 _"But I want you!" Teddy cries out over the phone.  
"Sophie…why are you doing this?!"_

 _"Teddy, stop it – please. I'm so sorry that it has taken me this long to explain everything to you. Look, I thought I had feelings for you.  
Now, I'm with someone my own age."_

It was _all_ a lie.

Age was never a factor for me. I never saw age with him. My heart wouldn't let me see anything _but_ him. But I knew that if I stayed, he would be where I once was – struggling to find himself without the blessing or security of his strong family unit. I just new he'd eventually come to despise me for placing a wedge between him and his father. I couldn't bring myself to let him be cloaked in dishonor and shame.

 _"He has_ _ **everything**_ _to lose, Sophie," my father growled._

So I placed myself on the sacrificial block – for _him_ … _and_ for my father.  
But in the end, I wound up sacrificing so much more.

I see that now _so_ clearly.

 _My God…what if I died in that car accident? What if I died and Ted never learned that he was our son's true father. I'd be wiped away from this earth and Ronan would go on to live with a family that's not really his._

I begin to have a full-on panic attack. Tears immediately flood my eyes. Right away Ted pulls out of me and starts to cradle me like a child.

"Angel, _no_. Please…don't cry," he coos. But my heart begins to shatter over and over again.

I can't help it. The dam has finally breached.

"Baby, talk to me," he pleads through my uncontrollable sobs.

As soon as I can muster up the faculties to form a sentence of any kind, I gasp out, " _I_ …I've never stopped loving you."

"I know, baby. I know," he says, smoothing down my hair.

"No, you don't understand," I choke up. "I've kept something from you."

His eyes zoom into me more, but he doesn't stop petting my hair and giving me comfort. "But you've already said it. You've told me everything."

"No… _I_ …"

"Sophie, it's okay. Just let me love you. Whatever it is, our love will fix it, okay. We don't have to run anymore," he says with the utmost assurance.

 _But if he knew what I knew, would he still be this sure?_

I can't do this anymore. I need to tell him. I've already fallen for him again. There's no way I can turn back after arriving back here with him. It's all _or_ … I can't even say it. I can't even stomach the alternative. But reality tells me that even the strongest man in the world wouldn't be able to endure what I'm on the brink of exposing.

 _Fuck – fuck – fuck._

I cry even more and he starts to rock me, humming sweetly in my ear. "I love you, Sophie Taylor," he sings in a whisper, and I feel like the lowest scum of the earth. Suddenly, my initial good intentions don't mean jack shit. It's all evaporated into a puddle of nothing, and I no longer have a single leg to stand on.

" _H_ …have you?" I stammer through the tears.

" _Hmm_? Have I _what_ , sweetheart? It's okay…I'm here. Tell me what's wrong," he hums in the most reassuring voice. And I'm feeling more and more like the shittiest person on earth for such a beautiful and loving man to yearn to bring me comfort. I'm the last person on earth who deserves it.

 _Who will give him comfort after I tell him everything? I can assure you that he won't want comfort coming from the source of his pain._

"Have you ever wondered why I've never shown you any photos of Ronan?" I finally spit out. His expression transitions from comforting to puzzled. I have no idea what's going through his mind right now. "Have you ever wondered why I haven't introduced you to my son?" I add with a shaky voice.

His face moves from confused to shock. "Sophie…" he whispers. "What are you saying?" I can see the wheels churning in his head but once more, I don't know exactly what he's thinking.

I know that I only need to tell him _one thing_. Ted is a brilliant man. Just expose this one thing and he'll derive at the conclusion all by himself. He won't believe it any other way.

"Ronan's birthday is May 31st. I had him a week late," I gasp out.

He's quiet once more as his thoughts continue to have him arrested. It's then when I know that he's calculating the math in his head. Finally, his eyes grow extremely wide.

"The middle of August," he says, dumbstruck.

I nod and my face floods with tears.

And even through the tears, I can see it clearly on his face. He's thinking back to that afternoon when he and I made love in a room at Marriott where I worked – just before he returned to Stanford. Suddenly, Ted turns cold before pulling away from me entirely and rolling out of bed.

All of the air rushes out of me.

* * *

 ** _A/N: So we're finally here. No clue how our girl's going to get herself out this colossal mess she's made._** **:(**

 ** _In the next chapter – Ted absolutely loses his shit, and rightfully so. Thankfully his mother so happened to call a meeting with him the very next morning at work. Ana has no idea what's about to hit her._**

 ** _Later, Sophie has a heavy talk with her little boy just before the nurse sticks him with the scary needle. He'll most certainly be overwhelmed by all of the major changes that are coming his way._**

 ** _For those who have left me encouraging words and have stuck with this story, I appreciate it more than you know. Thanks for reading! – ST2_**


	26. Chapter 26 - Sweet Child O' Mine

**Chapter 26 – Sweet Child O' Mine**

 _Thursday, March 20, 2036  
(Continued)_

 _Ted_

My mind's in a complete daze, but the rest of me is roused.

Roused from all of the extreme emotions that I've endured over the span of four hours – peace, love, yearning, euphoria, ecstasy, blessed assurance. Those feelings were abruptly replaced by confusion, uncertainty, shock…

Then the next extreme emotion emerges. It's one that hardly ever manifests in me so quickly. I normally stop myself before feeling this way, especially when it's towards someone that I love.

I always try to give the other party the benefit of the doubt. I don't believe in rushing to judgment because I am hyper aware that there can be explainable circumstances that serve as the catalyst for one's misguided actions. I know this – that's why I'm typically very slow to reach the point of anger.

But not this time.

The moment I roll out of her bed, I immediately locate my jeans and shuffle right into them. There's a raging fire in my belly and molten lava coursing through my veins. I'm feeling things that I don't remember feeling – _ever_. And even though I begin pacing the room un-rhythmically like a sprinter exceedingly anxious to be called to the starting blocks, I'm furious to the point of being physically ill.

I take multiple slow, deep breaths. The more breaths I take, the clearer I start to hear Sophie's sobbing in the background.

 _"Ted."_

 _What just happened?  
Why am I so mad?  
Why do I feel like tossing this huge dresser and mirror?  
Why do feel like ripping through the drywall? _

I never knew that I was even capable of feeling this way.

"Teddy – talk to me. _Please_."

She lied to me.  
She fucking _lied_ – to _me_.

However, it wasn't just some silly little white lie. And stupid me – I thought the worst of it was her simply walking away from what we had and pretending not to love me anymore.

But _this_? Oh no. _This_? No – there's no valid fucking excuse for _this_.  
There is no explainable circumstance that could justify _this_.

 ** _This_** is pure evil.

I turn mid-pace and face her. She's sitting up in bed and clenching the sheets against her naked body. Her face is beet-red and she looks to be torn apart from the inside out, but it none of it registers through my blood-hued lenses. I no longer see the woman who I was just holding and comforting. She is not the woman that I thought I was loving and reassuring.

 _Who in the hell is she?_

" _Ted_ ," she sobs.

"Is _he_?" I growl at her as I slowly re-approach the bed – but I halt before I get too close. "Is he _really_ my son?"

Her head falls for a second and when she lifts it back up, she's biting down on both lips. Fresh tears are cascading down her face. She nods three times.

 _Oh my God._

I turn around, but I don't move forward. The pain in my gut is so intense that I double over.

 _No.  
I can't believe she did this. _

_Not only did she unnecessarily hurt two people, but three?!  
No…not even three.  
She's effected __**countless**_ _.  
Her family, my family...hell, even the Glenns… _

I can't think straight. I'm an emotional rocket about to explode at any moment.  
I turn and face her once more. I am seething.

"Why?!" I shout at her. Sophie visibly shakes and her lips move, but nothing comes out. "Why didn't you tell me?!" My echo pierces the air and makes the room sound hollower than it really is. I begin to wonder if perhaps that's the perfect metaphor for her.

I once saw something in her, and that _thing_ is what made me cleave to her for all of these years. Now I'm thinking that it was all just a mirage. Maybe she's just… _empty_ – because the girl I thought I fell in love with would never do anything as egregious as this.

"Answer me," I rumble.

Sophie inches out of bed with the sheet still wrapped around her. When her feet hit the floor, she drops down on her knees. She's groveling at my feet.  
" _Teddy_ ," she weeps.

"No," I rasp. My chest is constricting. I have no air to breathe. I am both enraged and severely wounded.

 _You have a son, Grey.  
You have a son and she didn't tell you._

Clenching my teeth, I bend down and pull her up to her feet by her wrists. She wobbles and the sheet that was once around her cascades to the floor, leaving her bare – but I don't care to focus on her naked body right now. I need to see her naked soul.

I need to understand _why_.

"Look at me," I say through gritted teeth. She wants to fall back down, but I don't let her, holding her steady.

Without blinking, I hiss – "Look. At. Me."

Sophie slowly shifts her head and gazes up at me. Her blue irises are swimming in a pool of pink. Her nose is running and her entire face is inflamed from crying.

" _I_ …I was doing it for you," she finally says, shuddering. "I knew your father would disown you…"

" _What?_ " I gasp.

 _Is she fucking serious? She kept this child away from me because she thought that my father would disown me?!_

I can feel the boiling blood traversing my veins once more. The so-called _love of my life_ has kept this _huge_ thing from me for four years? And now she's claiming that she did it all for _me_?

 _Another lie._

I let go of her and she wavers, but she doesn't fall.

"How? How could you? _My son_? Ronan is _my son_?" I'm approaching the point of being hysterical. I look at her and she's shaking cold.

"Did Aiden know?" I mutter through a clenched jaw.

The moment she pitifully nods, my eyelids close and my head falls back. I try to take in a deep pull of oxygen, but nothing flows in. I'm at a point where I know I should leave now before I say something that I will regret later.

And she needs time to get her story straight because I am not going to sit through a series of fucking sobs and head nods. I want to hear her words. I _need_ to hear her words. A coherent explanation will help me put a name to whatever I'm feeling at the moment.

"I'm leaving now," I say to her. She starts to panic, but I hold my hand out to stop her. "I need to settle down, and you need to pull yourself together so we can have a rational discussion."

After a brief hesitation, Sophie nods in understanding.

"You do understand that we're going to need a DNA test."

I instantly regret saying the words. I wanted to have a clear mind before venturing there, but my inner thoughts couldn't help but seep out.

"I know," she murmurs. She starts crying again and reaches for me. "I'm _so_ , so sorry. But I did this for you."

I take two steps back so she doesn't touch me.

"I don't want to hear it right now. I will call you tomorrow," I rasp in a poor attempt to subdue my anger.

* * *

 _Friday, March 21, 2036_

I lie awake in my own bed in the wee hours of the morning, unable to sleep a single wink. My mind has been running a marathon's worth of sprints.

 _I'm a father?_

Four years. _Four years_ she's kept this from me.

 _Who in the fuck does that?_

Why didn't she have enough faith in me to know that I would've protected her and that child? She probably assumed that I was just some dumb ass kid who couldn't even stop the boogieman. But what she underestimated was how much I fucking loved her. I would've done anything for her.

 _Anything._

Without thinking, I reach for my phone on the bedside table and fire out a text.

 ** _Ted  
_** 3:12a: _Send me a picture of him._

Right now, what I am sleeplessly mulling over are just words.  
 _You are his father._

But I've never even seen Ronan. Hell, Sophie wouldn't let me see him.  
I need to see the truth, this long-kept secret in human form.

Two minutes later, my phone buzzes by my head on the mattress. I see the thumbnail of the image that Sophie just sent on the locked screen. I swipe it and it takes me to a larger image in the messenger app. I double tap the photo, and it takes up the entire display.

"Oh my God," I gasp out loud.

I spring straight up from my pillow as I study the photograph. It's a smiling little boy looking straight at the camera. The sunlight reflects against his full head of wild hair. It could be light brown, but it appears to be copper in the brightness of day – like mine; like my dad's when he was younger. And his eyes are baby blue – like Sophie's; like mine; like my mom's.

But his entire face – it's like I'm looking at an old photograph of me in one of the dozen of scrapbooks that my mother put together, the same set of books she now displays proudly on a shelf in her study.

When two more hours go by, I've must've stared at this photo the entire time. The anger has worn off. Now – I'm just hurt.

Functioning on no sleep, and with the heaviness of what has just been revealed to me, I'm not in my right mind. I could be using this time to run, work out in the gym, or showering to get ready for work. Instead, I call her while I'm still lying in bed.

"Ted," she says with a barely there voice. And I know that like me, she couldn't sleep either.

"Honestly, I don't know what to say to you right now," I murmur.

"I understand," she breathes.

"Do you?" I say in a raised voice before taking several breaths of my own to calm down. "It was like looking in the mirror, Soph."

"I know," she murmurs.

"Yeah – _you knew_. You knew and didn't even bother to tell me. Why?"

I can feel my blood pressure beginning to rise again – against my will. I really don't want to yell at her right now. I only want straight answers.

"It all made so much sense back then," she says with a cracked voice. She clears her throat. "But thinking back, it wasn't worth it. I thought I was doing the right thing at the time."

"The _right thing_?" Now I can't help it. My voice goes up several octaves. "What in the world gave you that idea? Right by whom? By Ronan? _Me_?"

"Yes," she says succinctly. "And my father."

I laugh out of frustration. I have no words for this girl, _or_ her ridiculous logic.

"What would've happened, Ted?" she speaks in a tone stronger than I've heard her speak in over six hours. "If your father found out that his only son – a nineteen-year-old, superstar Stanford student, future CEO of his company knocked up his driver's daughter…"

I am beyond enraged. I spring up and perch on the edge of the bed.

"Don't even utter that bullshit, Sophie! I was madly in love with you! You were my entire fucking world! I would've done _anything_ for you!"

"I know that!" she cries out.

"Obviously you didn't. You sat there and you let your father scare you into thinking that my father was going to fire him if you kept seeing me. That would've never happened, yet you still believed him."

"I didn't know what to think, Ted," she says, now sobbing. "There was just so much happening all at once. Then when I finally decided to just break away from everything…and everyone, I find out that I was pregnant."

 _Fuck._ My face falls into my left palm as I reflect on how fucked up this entire situation is.

"You could've saved everyone the trouble and the heartache, Soph. All you had to do was talk to me," I groan in agony.

"Hindsight is 20/20," she whispers through the tears. "If I could do it all over again, I would've."

But her wishing that she could've done the right thing now doesn't ease the pain and the anger I feel. In fact, I feel worse.

"You let someone else help raise that child. There's a whole faction who thinks that's their blood running through his veins." I laugh at the next thought. "And stupid me…I'm the one paying for security to protect him from another family who desperately wants him – a family that's supposedly not even his. See, this could've all been avoided, Sophie."

"I know," she groans in agony.

"And you knew the moment that either your father or I saw him, we'd know right away. Am I right?" I reprimand.

"Yes. I don't know what I was thinking, Ted. But once the web was spun, I couldn't undo it. I had to keep the lie going. And you'd already moved on with your life."

"Another lie," I snap. "I hadn't moved on. But if you're referring to Diana, she didn't happen until three years after that. You had _three fucking years_ to tell me, Sophie."

"I know," she responds like an adolescent being chastised.

"Were you just hoping that he was Aiden's?" I lob in her face.

She sighs. "I didn't have sex with him until after I found out that I was pregnant."

I am beyond repulsed.

 _How could she?!_  
 _Making love to another man while carrying my child – knowingly?_

This is wicked. I can't comprehend what even makes her think that she was doing all of this for my sake. If anything, she destroyed me. She destroyed _us_.

"Ted?"

When she utters my name, I hadn't realized that I'd been silent for so long.

"What you did… It was beyond selfish," I finally gather the strength to say.

"I realize that now. But at the time – I loved you so much that I couldn't even see straight. I didn't want you to end up hating me, so I did what I thought I had to do."

"What kind of backwards ass logic is that?" I say, appalled. "You pulverized my heart…you kept me from knowing about Ronan so that I wouldn't _hate you_?"

"You'll never understand, Ted," she sighs – and I can hear the frustration in her voice.

"Well explain it to me, then. What am I not getting?" I reply in a condescending tone. I know that whatever she says won't justify her actions.

"That's just it – there's nothing I can say in words that will make the situation any more relatable to you."

"What am I missing here – The ability to relate to justifying lying to someone who you supposedly love? Having the understanding when someone tells you that they gave birth to your child nearly four years ago? Is that what I'm lacking?"

"When I was just born, my father was between jobs and struggling hard to make ends meet. It wasn't until your father hired him that he was able to make a better life for us."

My stomach twists. "So it was about money?" I utter gravely.

"No!" she shouts in outrage.

"Because that's what I just heard you say, Sophie. Did you honestly believe my father would fire not only the most trustworthy employee that he's ever had, but the maternal grandfather of his first grandchild?"

She's quiet for a few beats before she answers. "Honestly, I didn't know what to think back then. But it wasn't just my dad. It was you, too. Your father was riding you hard during that time."

I briefly think back. "Yeah, he was – but none of that would've mattered. In fact, it _never_ mattered. We had a plan to be together and I was dead set on seeing that plan come to fruition."

"But with a child?" she inflects with disbelief.

" _Yes_ – I would've been there through thick or thin, but you never even gave me a chance," I spew out in resentment.

"What else do you want me to say, Ted? No matter what I say, it's not going to justify what I did. I can't undo what I've done."

I can tell that she's beyond frustrated, but instead of having a little understanding for how she may feel, it does nothing but infuriate me even more.

"Well I guess that settles it, then," I say firmly. "The next call you'll get from me will be to set up a date and time for the DNA test. Afterwards, we'll take it from there."

"So, that's it? That's all you have to say?"

The sound of her voice tells me that she's at a complete loss. She obviously doesn't have a fucking clue about where I'm coming from and can't see past her own baseless woes. _The epitome of selfishness._

"Quite frankly, I have nothing else to say, Sophie." I realize that I've essentially been digging a hole in my scalp during this entire call. I'm shocked that I haven't drawn out a fistful of hair.

"Ted – I'm sorry. I just don't know what I can do to fix this."

"It can't be fixed. The damage is already done. _Just_ …I'll call you, or someone else will about the test," I say, flustered.

" _Someone_?" she asks in an elevated voice.

"My assistant, or someone else."

"Your attorney?" she utters in a defensive tone.

My whole world comes crashing down.  
 _No, not us._  
 _What is this?  
Why are we even here?_

"No lawyers." _Not yet, anyway._ "Look, I have to go."

"Okay," she responds with a sad whisper.

Without uttering another word, I belligerently hang up the phone and toss it on the floor. I don't think it shatters or breaks – but if it did, that would be the absolute least of my troubles right now.

 _What in the hell am I going to do about the mess she caused?_

* * *

 _Ana_

First up on the schedule is Teddy. It's a meeting that I've been preparing for since Wednesday night. Although the meeting subject is titled: _Employee Wellness App Discussion_ , not a single word in my notes is regarding the topic.

 _I could care less about that damned app today.  
I need to know if Ronan could possibly be Teddy's son. _

So first, I'm going to tell Teddy that Topher's best friend Ronan is _really_ Sophie's son. Then I'll go into how much Ronan looks just like him. _Hell, I wished I'd gotten a picture Topher and Ronan together. Then I could've done a side-by-side comparison of Ronan against a picture of Teddy back when he was four…_

At eight on the dot, Teddy saunters into my office. Right away I am very nervous and unsure on how to begin questioning him about Sophie.

 _"Son, did you have sex with Sophie Taylor without a condom during the months  
of August and September in 2031?"_

Dammit, Kavanagh – even your crazy ideas invade my rational thoughts.

I finally take one good look at my son and my heart immediately plummets. It appears as though he's literally been to hell and back. My handsome young man looks twice his age with a rough, unshaven face and deep dark circles encapsulating his eyes.

"My God, Ted," I stand from behind my desk and rush over to his side. I pull his arm and lead him over to the sofa. We sit down together.

"What's wrong? You look like you haven't slept at all."

He sadly shakes his head.

"What happened?" I say, reaching for him.

I hold both of his hands in his lap, and his face falls to watch them. My heart aches for him right now, and I don't even know what's eating him. I've never seen him like this. I hear his shallow breaths before his head rises to see me.

"Mom," he swallows hard. I nod, urging him to push forward.  
"I think I'm someone's father."

On impact, I am dumbstruck – but soon my heart bursts forth with joy. All of that pinned up uncertainly…that whole circumstance with _knowing-but-not-knowing_. A flood of relief rushes over me and I am now hunched down and weeping into my hands. Teddy's arms soon come around me and he holds me tightly.

"Mom, I'm _so_ sorry. I didn't know. In fact, I just found out last night. It happened four years ago," he says in an apology.

I cry even harder.  
 _That precious little guy is my grandchild._

"I'm sorry if I'm a disappointment to you – to our entire family. _She_ …"

I rise up and pull back from my son's hold. When he finally captures the insane look of relief and elation on my face, he nearly jumps out of his seat. I am crying and laughing at the same time.

"I knew it! I _knew_ ," I cry out victoriously.

"You knew _what_?" he murmurs, appearing to be fearful for his life.

"I knew that little sweet boy was yours. He was in Topher's swim class!" I gleefully exclaim.

The wheels begin to churn in Teddy's head.  
" _Roman_. Roman is _Ronan_ ," he murmurs while shaking his head, pained.

"I've been trying to figure it all out on my own. The moment I found out that his grandmother is Taylor's ex-wife, she pulled Ronan out of swim class. But something tells me that if she stuck around, it would've taken some serious convincing for her to believe that someone other than Sophie's jailed ex could be Ronan's real father. I, however, didn't need any convincing. I know a _Grey man_ when I see one," I say practically pounding on my own chest. The only description I have for how Teddy looks at me is _appalled_.

"I told Sophie that we need to do a DNA test," he says pitifully.

"Hell, let's do it today!" I avidly propose.

"Mom," he pleads, very concerned for my mental wellbeing.

"I'm serious. We need to know if that beautiful little boy is my grandchild. Have you even seen him?" I say with awe.

"No, not in person, anyway. She sent me this." He takes his phone out of his jeans and wakes it up. Five second later, he hands it over to me.

I am breathless.  
 _Yes…this is_ _ **my**_ _grandson._

While I'm busy being elated and overjoyed, I glance over and witness the sheer uncertainty and helplessness etched across my son's face. My heart nearly breaks for him. I slide in closer and wrap an arm around him.

"He is so beautiful, Teddy – even more so in person," I sigh in maximum adoration. "My God…he looks _just_ like you and Sophie." As a stream of tears begin to fall down my face, he takes back his phone, studying the picture for himself.

"Did you have any idea that I was in love with her? I've loved her for _years_." he says quietly under his breath – but I know that he intended on me hearing his words.

I nod with a reflective smile. "I know you better than you think."

He lets out an agonizing exhale. "Why, Mom? Why would Sophie not tell me? He's almost _four_. Four years she kept this from me." And I know that my son feels like falling apart. It is gut wrenching to watch.

"Honey, let's just focus on Ronan now. We can't undo the past. Let's confirm what we already know." My smile soon fades and I look my conflicted oldest son square in the eye. "If that boy is a Grey, which I'm ready to swear on my life that he is, we are going to love him to pieces."

Teddy's head hangs down. "What about Dad?" he says quietly. I reach for his stubbly chin and wiggle it until his eyes are back on me.

"Don't worry about your father. I'll deal with him after the DNA test. Look, it's going to be okay. You trust me, right?" I ask him, my eyes filled with the most love.

"Yes," he whispers.

My poor son is so broken right now. I wish there was a way that I could put him back together. But I know that the moment he meets his precious little boy face to face, the days, months, or years lost will no longer matter.

I think about my husband. He too was four when his loving adoptive parents took him in. Sure, his first four years of life haunted him for a very long time. But Ronan was much luckier. Since birth, he had a grandmother and a mother who loved him very much.

Now, our entire family can band as one solid collective and make new, perfect memories together with our sweet, precious Ronan.

* * *

 _Sophie_

I've been a hollow shell of despair since Ted hung up on me earlier.

Knowing that my mother will be home with Ronan soon, I've tried for the past few hours to get myself together. I lack the sleep, energy, and the heart to function like _nothing's wrong_. I find myself unable to pretend anymore.

For years, I've shielded my son from all of the drama that surrounded him. When it's raining outside, I metaphorically pull down the shade with a painted sun and blue sky. I never wanted my little boy to see what was behind the curtain.

Right now, the days of protecting Ronan are long gone. Ted knows now. My worst fears are being realized. He despises me, and there's nothing I can do to fix that. I still love him…that certainly hasn't changed. But what has changed is how he feels about me.

I manage to shower and throw on a new set of sweats. While I tidy up the apartment, I try to function off of sheer will since I lack the physical and mental strength. But it's when I see the wine glasses on the counter that Ted and I drank from last night that I finally break down.

The tears soon transition into loud, heaping sobs. I'm leaning completely over the counter to keep from falling to the floor. There's no stopping this torrential downpour.

 _We gloriously fucked, then we made sweet and tender love.  
And then I fell apart and spilled my guts out. _

_I'll never make love to him again.  
I'll never be loved the way that he loved me – ever. _

I lose all track of time. I don't fully realize it until I hear the sound of the door lock unlatching. My body remains stuck to the counter. I'm weak all over.

I hear two sets of footsteps approaching. I am quiet right now, except for my heavy breathing against the granite countertop – so I can faintly hear my mother telling Ronan in a gentle voice to stay in his room until she comes for him. Moments later, I hear a door close.

"Sophie? Honey?"

I feel my mother's arms wrap around me. She carefully guides me up from the counter until my unfocused eyes are viewing the shape of her face. She slowly comes into focus.

"What happened?" she says, appearing anxious.

"The businessman I told you I was seeing," I rasp.

"What happen? Did you two break it off last night?" my mother says, concerned. I ignore her question and continue my original statement as planned.

"I didn't meet him at the hotel. In fact…he's Ronan's real father."

My mother gapes at me. "What in the world are you talking about? Aiden Glenn is Ronan's father."

I shake my head. "Ted Grey is his biological father, not Aiden." I feel as lifeless as a zombie as I unceremoniously unveil what I've been fighting so hard for many years to hide from _everyone_ – my own dear mother included.

"Christian and Ana Grey's son." Shannon says with terrified eyes. "The boy you and your father had it out over."

I nod. "That's why I had to keep it a secret."

"No wonder Ana Grey was so eager to exchange numbers with me. She obviously had a strong hunch. That's why you insisted on removing him from swim class." My mother then sighs and shakes her head in pity. " _Sophie, Sophie, Sophie_ …"

I sigh in return. "I know," I say, pained.

"So I take it that he found out about the paternity," my mother says in a sober tone.

I nod. "I finally told him last night."

"And he didn't take it well," she adds.

 _Understatement of the year, Shannon Lore._  
I'd laugh if I could, but I don't have the strength. I close my eyes instead.

"And you had Aiden thinking that…"

"No, he knew," I reply, interrupting her.

My mother is appalled. "Are you kidding me? His parents obviously didn't know. They're still trying to _see_ him."

"I know," I sigh, extremely guilt-ridden.

"Why would you keep Ronan from knowing who his real father is? He thinks that druggy is his real dad," she hisses.

I tense up. "Mom, _stop_ – Aiden was sick. He wanted to raise Ronan as his own. I shouldn't have let him do it in his condition. That was my fault."

"This is just…mindboggling," she says, flustered.

"He cared enough about me and the baby to do it. And instead of fighting him on it, I allowed it."

"Unbelievable," my mother gasps. "This is one colossal mess."

"I know," I groan.

"You thought that the Glenns were scary in court. Just you wait," my mother says ominously.

I quicken at her words. "What's that supposed to mean?" I say defensively.

"You know exactly what that means. You didn't see how Ana Grey was gawking at Ronan the last time we were there at swimming. They're multi _billionaires_ , Sophie – not just millionaires like the Glenns. Either you should've told the real father in the very beginning, or kept it quiet forever. Now you've put yourself in a situation to potentially lose that child for good. Ana knows all about the DSS involvement and Aiden's imprisonment. I told her before I even knew who she was. _Hell_ , Sophie," she growls, frustrated.

Is she being serious? My mother's saying that I should've never spoken a word to Ted about him being Ronan's father. "You don't know Ana like I do… _or_ Ted. They'd never take my son away from me."

I'm stunned when she starts laughing. "You are so naive, my child. _So_ naive. Honey, if I were you, I'd empty out my bank account _immediately_ , take that boy, and go off to some remote island until he's of age."

She's joking. She has to be because my mother is being far from logical right now. It's not like her. "Don't be ridiculous," I spit at her.

"When it all goes down the way that I say, don't be the least bit surprised," my mother says in warning. "Be wary of any branch that hangs on Christian Grey's tree."

I hang my head. Now on top of the man who is both my true love and Ronan's biological father not wanting to speak to me, I have to endure my mother's nearly three-decade long grudge against Ronan's biological paternal grandfather.

 _Lord, give me strength._

* * *

 _Monday, March 24, 2036_

I am shocked that my tear ducts haven't rotted away. Tears have been flowing nonstop all weekend.

Ted refuses to speak to me. The only time he's communicated to me since hanging up on me last Friday was via text – and that was to inform me of when and where Ronan and I are to meet him for the DNA test that's scheduled today.

I'm afraid to call Phoebe. She probably hates me more than she's ever hated Diana. I've kept her brother from his son…her nephew. Hell, all of this made so much sense back when I was twenty-two. But at the age of nearly twenty-seven, even I'm wondering what in the hell was I thinking back then. Involving Aiden, putting my child through an unnecessary custody battle, and a baseless visitation battle that will most certainly come to an end once these certain test results come back.

 _But what battle will I face before I leave this hospital?_

I pull my new car into the parking garage of Northwest Hospital late in the afternoon. You might as well say that the Grey family rules the joint. Ted's grandmother retired from working here after many years, but she still plays a major role on the board – as does Ted's father who has donated a shit ton of money over the years.

 _There's a Dr. Grace Trevelyan pediatric wing here, for crying out loud._

Needless to say, I'm not entering friendly territory.

I remove my seatbelt and twist behind me to see my son sitting quietly in his booster seat. I close my eyes and count to ten.

"Ronan, mommy has to tell you something."

I can't help it. The tears start to trickle down. I've been avoiding this discussion all weekend. How do you tell your almost four-year-old that his entire life so far has been a lie? But the story can no longer be avoided. He is going to see Ted face-to-face momentarily.

"Mommy, why are you sad?" he says in the sweetest little voice.

I sniff, trying to compose myself as best as I can.  
"Mommy did a very bad thing. I hope you can forgive me."

"What did you do?" he asks.

 _Help me, Lord. I need strength to do this._

"You know Aiden?" I ask, clearing my throat to force down the tears.

"Daddy? Daddy is locked up in the bad place," he says, and I'm slowly falling apart.

"Daddy in jail isn't _really_ your daddy, honey," my voice quivers.

My baby boy, bless his heart, is utterly confused. And who could blame him.

"Aiden is not your daddy, and Mr. Steve and Ms. Allie are not your grandma and grandpa."

Ronan looks even more confused. I decide to proceed telling him what is about to happen once we exit this car and enter that big scary building.

"When we go in there, the doctor is going to check your blood."

"No Mommy! I don't like needles!" he cries out, panicking.

"Sweetheart, _I know_ , I know," I coo, touching his knee. "But they need to use some of your blood. They have to do a test that takes thirty minutes. Then it will tell you who your real daddy is."

"So who's my real daddy now?" he says, looking even more perplexed than ever on top of being frightened about getting stuck with needles.

"His name is Teddy Grey."

Ronan little eyes perk right up. "That's my friend Topher's last name!"

I close my eyes briefly, pained by what I have to explain to this young child.  
"Honey, Topher is your daddy's little brother."

"Huh?" he says, and I know his wee little head is on the verge of exploding. I decide to hold off on the total explanation for now. We'll be in this car all day and miss our appointment with the DNA specialist if I continue to break down this extremely confusing situation to my preschooler.

….

The DNA testing lab is located on the second floor. I am holding Ronan's hand when the two of us exit the elevator. I lead him straight ahead through until we enter the lobby area.

As soon as we walk in, I am stunned to see Ted waiting there with a detached expression on his face, along with his mother – _his mother?_ – Wearing a warm grin. The two of them are dressed as if they came straight here from the office – each appearing like the billionaires that they are.

The man that I love is wearing an expensive gray suit and black tie, while his mother looks nearly twenty years younger than her age in a black dress and fuchsia blazer. I look like a frump lord in their presence wearing plain ol' jeans and a jean jacket with a basic white tee and sneakers. _He brought his mother?!_

But what stuns me even more than Ana's presence is seeing Gail here with them. She's not in uniform, which initially throws me off. Instead, she's wearing a long multicolored top peering under a three-quarter-length beige spring coat, with black leggings. I almost didn't know who she was. Her hair, still as blond as it was twenty years ago, is pulled back into a neat bun.

I haven't seen my stepmother in years. As soon as our eyes connect, I immediately witness pure love radiating from her eyes. Without missing a beat, Gail and I walk briskly to each other and pull into an immediate embrace. The two of us begin to cry. It's been too long…unnecessarily too long, but she looks the exact same as the last time I saw her nearly five years ago.

"Sophie, honey – you look beautiful," she beams adoringly.

Her praise does nothing to make me feel good. I glance over at Ted who refuses to look directly at me, and my heart breaks all over again.

"Gail, this is Ronan," I choke up the introduction.

But when I turn to find Ronan, Ana is on her knees hugging him. Love overflows from her stunning face. I glance over at Ted and he watches the two of them with sadness in his eyes. I feel absolutely horrible, but I try and shake the feeling and take Ronan's hand. With Ana still at his side, Ronan looks up at me.

"Ronan, honey – do you know this nice lady?" I ask with a melancholy smile, my voice involuntarily quivering. Soon, I begin to see tears stream from Mrs. Grey's face.

"That's Topher's mommy," he says confidently. He turns to Ana. "Where's Topher?"

"He's at home, sweetie. You'll see him again real soon. He can't _wait_ to see you," Ana smiles so wide. "In fact, I'm going to make sure you have your very own room right next to Topher's for whenever you come for a visit. _Okay_?"

My stomach drops hearing that she's already making plans to take in my little boy. My mom's words from Friday come back into remembrance.

 _"You didn't see how Ana Grey was gawking at Ronan.  
They're multi billionaires, Sophie –  
not just millionaires like the Glenns."_

Instantly, I get flashbacks of the last big custody battle with the fake grandparents. And I know that there is no way in hell that I could win if Ted and his family ever wanted to take Ronan away from me.

 _Not now, Sophie._ I shake away the dull ache and get back to the issue at hand.

"Mrs. Grey is your _real_ grandma," I force a smile through oncoming tears. "And there's your daddy…Teddy Grey," I say – pointing in Ted's direction who's standing nearly ten feet away.

Ted's finally forced to look his reality directly in the eyes; a reality that I've kept from him for four years. I feel like the lowest of the low. Ted waves stoically at the little stranger who is his son, but he's much to shy to wave back. Instead, Ronan tugs at my arm.

"Is Topher really my brother?" Ronan asks in a hopeful tone. My heart sinks, yet my baby boy's sweetness makes both Ana and Gail laugh.

"No, Topher is your daddy's little brother," I explain. "That would technically make him your uncle."

"Huh?" he replies perplexed, and Ana and Gail laugh even more.

"Grey! Taylor! Glenn!"

The short, shouting woman in scrubs startles all of us.

"We're all here," Ana replies, standing. She places an arm around me and squeezes me tightly, and I suddenly feel a little less nervous than I did when I first arrived.

….

Fifteen minutes later, we've all reconvened in the lobby awaiting the lab results. Ted went first, followed by Ronan and myself.

I let Ronan watch the phlebotomist stick me with the thin butterfly needle first to ensure him that it doesn't hurt as much as he fears. As soon as it was his turn, my little guy clamped down on his lids in preparation for the worst pain of his short life. When he opened his eyes, confused, he asked me when the nice lady was going to stick him. With a chuckle and a warm smile, she held up two vials of his blood and said that she was all done. She called him a big, brave boy and asked him what type of character he wanted on his bandage. He was thrilled when he asked for Minions and she had it.

Back in the lobby, the energy is quite odd. For starters, there are four other people now present, but the room is big enough for everyone to spread out. Secondly, anyone else in my shoes might be more than nervous right now. However in my case, I have no fear of any results on a sheet of paper. I know exactly what they are. What disturbs me is how distant Ted and I have been since I've told him that Ronan was his son. We haven't even talked since he called me early that next day, and the thought's extremely disheartening.

 _I want to know what he's thinking.  
I want to know what I can do to ease the pain of betrayal that he feels towards me._

Ronan is currently seated in between Ted and Ana – across and down a few chairs from where Gail and I sit. I watch as Ana does most of the talking and Ted chimes in every so often. And because of the distance along with the softness of their voices, I can't make out much of what they're saying.

"I heard you're a manager trainee at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel now. That sounds very exciting," Gail says, trying her best to break the ice with me.

"I'm one of the assistant managers, now," I correct.

"Sophie," she gasps. "That's fantastic."

"Thanks," I reply, downplaying the feat.

"No, seriously. You've always dreamed of doing exactly what you're doing now. I'm so proud of you," she says, seemingly sincere. But I find what she says very hard to believe given where we now sit and the unique circumstance that brought us all here this afternoon.

"Are you?" I ask – very confused as to how she could be. "Would Dad be proud of me?" And I can feel myself on the verge of breaking down, but my stepmother wraps her arm around me in comfort.

"He _is_ proud," she says. "You know him well. You know that he can't stay away."

 _So he knows about what I've been up to._

"Does he know about this?" I say, nodding over in the direction of Ronan, Ana, and Ted.

"Not yet," she says soberly. "Ana only told _me_."

 _Oh._ And suddenly, I feel as though I've disappointed my father all over again.

"You have nothing to worry about, Sophie. It's going to be okay," Gail tries to assure me.

"I don't think it will be," I murmur sullenly.

"No matter what happens, you know that I'm always here for you, right? At least I hope you do. I know that I didn't give birth to you…and we didn't spend very much time together – but the time we did spend together meant a lot to me. I thought we became close. I even viewed you as my own daughter."

Gail's words prick my heart and I can feel the tears trying to surface. "You've taught me just about everything I know – from organizational skills to household management. You're one of the reasons why I fell in love with the hospitality industry."

She looks at me with wide eyes. "I never knew that." I nod at her in confirmation. Gail then leans in and holds me tight. "I don't want more years to go by before seeing you again."

My regretful eyes latch to hers. "They won't – I promise."

Gail hugs me again and kisses me on the forehead. "Good," she beams, holding back her own tears. She then looks over at the Greys with their newfound son and grandson. Ronan is now gabbing away – obviously on a subject that he's very excited about, Ana is laughing adoringly and Ted is wistfully smiling. I hurt all over again.

Because I've kept this from happening for years, there's no chance of Ted and I ever becoming a family. I've ruined things royally.

"Give him time," I hear Gail whisper to me. I look back at her, astounded that she knew my exact thoughts. "Ted," she clarifies. "Give him time."

"He hates me," I murmur with a cracked voice.

"That's not true. He's hurt, and rightfully so," she says. "But I believe that time heals all wounds."

"And what about Dad?" I ask.

She smirks at me. "Let me worry about that. The moment he meets that sweet little guy of yours, he's going to be eating from his hands."

"And Mr. Grey?"

"Him too," she says confidently.

I certainly hope that she's right.

* * *

 _Ana_

 **The results indicate that the alleged father, Theodore R. Grey, cannot be excluded as the biological father of the child, Ronan T. Glenn. Based on testing results obtained from analyses of the DNA loci listed, the probability of paternity is 99.999999%.**

When the results of the test are handed out, there is no surprise. I didn't need a test to tell me that Ronan was in fact my grandson. But this was a necessary step in order to kill any and all legal attempts or further claims from the Glenns.

This document will also serve as the conversation starter when I get home. I am going to have a _Come to Jesus_ conference tonight with Mr. Mercurial. I'm sure he's going to want to talk to Teddy after we're done – however, I'm going to discourage it. Teddy is going to need time to come to terms with this life-changing ordeal himself.

After the results were handed out to both parents, Sophie and Ronan had to leave in order to get home and break the official news to her mother, Shannon. Gail and I exchanged numbers with Sophie and she promised that we'd all get back together soon.

In the meantime, we agreed that it would be best for Teddy to start getting to know his son on the days that Sophie has to go in to work. Teddy will now watch Ronan instead of Sophie's mother or the babysitter. And if Sophie has to work during the day, Teddy will have to conduct all of his GEH business from home while watching Ronan. And knowing me, I'll make up any excuse to join him over at the penthouse in order to keep an eye on Ronan in case Teddy needs to sit in any videoconference that requires his undivided attention.

During our time at the hospital, I could tell that my son had a ton of things running through his mind – including a lot of unresolved hurt, but my presence along Gail's and especially Ronan's kept him at bay. However, he and Sophie are going to need to come together and communicate for the sake of their precious little boy. I know that my son is hutting deep, but he's going to have to get over it quickly. He has a son to think about now.

 _And I have a new bedroom to get ready._ I smile wide at the thought. As I drive us home, Gail turns to me. "So how are we going to break the news to the crabby ol' grandpas?"

I crack up laughing. "You're absolutely right – the both of them are. But they are going to melt as soon as they see that adorable little face."

"I know," Gail beams. "That sweet little guy won't be denied. He's a little heartbreaker."

"Just like his daddy," I say proudly.

"I see Jason and Sophie in him, too," she adds.

"Without a doubt," I say in agreement.

"I'm more excited than anything. I've been praying for this day for a very long time. This will finally bring Jason and Sophie back together. I know it."

"I'm sure you're right," I say with confidence. "You can tell that he misses his daughter."

"Oh – he's been out of his mind since she shut him out. She put out a restraining order against him in order to keep him away."

"What?" I gasp.

She nods with regret.

….

I drop Gail off at her house before I drive the length of three football fields to the automatic garage that's attached to our house. Gail and I promised to reconvene soon to discuss how _'the talk'_ went with our husbands.

As soon as I make it to the great room, the twins run up to me but I hold up hand to stop them. Topher stands close by.

"I need to talk to your father. Make sure you're washed and ready for dinner at seven," I tell them. Gail had prepared dinner ahead of time, knowing full well what was in store for us later in the evening – _the reveal with our husbands_. All the twins and me have to do is heat everything up.

Ignoring their concerned faces and many questions, I march onward towards Christian's study and shut the door behind me.

"Hey, baby. How did your doctor's appointment go?" Christian says, looking up from his computer. Not answering, I pull out a white letter envelope from my purse, and place the purse on the couch sitting opposite Christian's desk.

I round the solid oak structure and prop my soft tail on its edge once Christian and I are within inches of each other – face to face. Still in a suit and tie – no jacket, he immediately senses that something is wrong. He begins to rub my bare knee currently exposed from under my black dress.

"Christian, what I have to share with you is life changing," I preface. His face falls.

"You're not pregnant, are you?"

I bite my lip to keep from laughing. "If I am, it would be a miracle. Call the news media right now. The first woman to ever get pregnant without a womb," I quip.

Christian is not amused. "Well I hope you're not here to tell me that something is wrong."

"No," I absolutely insist. I don't even want him thinking that there's even a sliver in my thumb. My overprotective husband would royally freak out. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Then what is it?" His eyes study my temperament like a visual polygraph machine. "What's so life changing about this news?"

I thought I knew before I came in here how I would break this news to him. There were several different scripts I'd rehearsed in my mind. Right now, every single one of those yield the same outcome in my mind.

 _Christian is going to freak._

"When I tell you this, you promise not to freak out?" I say, chewing the side of my lip. His hand goes up to stop me, but I hurry up release it before he does.

His eyes narrow, intimidating me as they always have whenever I'm fearful of telling him something. "Tell me," he demands.

"Do you promise?"

"No," he says clipped. "You know I can't do that. Now, what is it?" His patience is wearing thin, so I know I need to spill before the aftermath becomes much worse than I could imagine.

"I wasn't at the hospital for me. I was there with Ted." When he sits up straight and his eyes widen with deep concern, I hold out my hand. "Ted is fine. We were there with Sophie and her little boy, Ronan."

Christian's puzzled expression remains, but his head now tilts sideways. "Taylor's daughter," he says. I nod.

"Her son is just two months older than Topher." I stop talking and pull the folded sheet from the white envelope labeled with the Northwest laboratory's logo. I unfold it and hand it to Christian. He reads it. Slowly, all of the blood rushes from his face.

It's not quite the reaction I was expecting. I thought that he'd be beet red instead of ghost white at this point.

"Gail was there," I add, hoping that it softens the blow.

" _Wha_ …" he stutters, unable to find the words. "What does this mean? _Ninety-nine_ point _nine-nine-nine-nine-nine-nine_?"

I pull in air and quickly exhale it.  
"It means that Teddy's a father, Christian."

With one hand still on the lab results, his head falls on his other hand – the one with its elbow propped on the desk. His head moves from left to right trying to process this brand new information.

His hand goes down.

"How long? How long has he known?" Christian's voice sounds more concerned than angry. Another surprise.

"He just found out Thursday night. He came to me on Friday and then we set the appointment for the paternity test."

"Did she know that Ted was the father? What is the child now… _four_?"

"He will be on May 31st. And she knew." I don't explain any further; I only give him a look that explains it all for me.

 _Sophie was scared._

His eyes rapidly blink for a beat. "Fuck. _Taylor_ …did _he_ know?"

I shake my head. "Gail is telling him now."

" _Dammit_ ," he grumbles, finally letting go of the paper and letting it fall to the desk. Both of his hands now run through his thick silver mane. "How's he handling it?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Upset. Confused. _Hurt_."

Christian shakes his head in disbelief. "And she just sprung this up on him."

"I had a hunch a few weeks ago. Ronan was in Topher's swim class. They were best buds." When Christian's eyes widen, I assume that he is making the connection from the many stories that Topher has told him about his best friend _'Roman from swim class'_.

"I don't know why I hadn't realized it before my surgery, but the little guy looks _just_ like Teddy did at that age. So one day, I walked up to his grandmother to give her my card and she put two and two together. It was the last time I'd seen Ronan, until today."

"Did she know that he was Ted's?"

I shake my head. "No, she figured out that I was married to you. She is _not_ your biggest fan," I smirk. The look my husband gives me in return tells me that he could care less what Taylor's ex-wife thinks about him – but I decide not to go there. We have _way_ bigger fish to fry.

"So what's the plan?" he says, as if this were some operational strategy meeting at Grey House.

"What do you mean _what's the plan_?" I frown. "Teddy is Ronan's father. He's going to help raise him."

Christian frowns back at me. "And how is he going to do that?"

"Christian," I sigh, baffled.

"He hasn't the first clue about raising a child," he snaps with disapproval.

"Did _you_?" I say, raising my voice in offense.

"Hell no," he growls back. "But we figured it out. Together. Are _they_ together?"

My heart sinks. "They were. Until this," I utter with sadness.

Christian closes his eyes and inhales a series of breaths.

"He's upset that she kept quiet about this for so long. Someone else was raising his child."

"The fucking drug addict," Christian groans in disgust.

"She didn't think she had a choice. Taylor had put the fear of God in her, so she did what she thought she had to do in order to separate herself from Teddy."

"Fuck," Christian grumbles, twisting in his chair. "I _need_ to talk to him."

" _Don't_." The word is out before I can even take it back.

"What?" he frowns greatly at me. "He's _my_ son."

He's _our_ son, Christian.

"Give him time to process this. _Please_ ," I implore my over-anxious husband. "And you need time, too."

His expression immediately tells me that he disagrees with me.  
"Enough time has already been wasted."

"I know," I say empathetically. "But you have to trust me. Our son already thinks that you're disappointed in him."

He stops me before I can finish my thought. "It's not about that." And there is a compassionate look on his face that I wasn't expecting to see at all when I came in here. But instead of addressing that, I decide to finish my initial thought.

"There is some deep hurt there. A lot of it has to do with Sophie falling on the sword. She thought that she was doing it for him, but Teddy's not seeing it that way. He doesn't want to speak to her right now."

"Which is why I need to talk to him," Christian strongly argues.

"Oh no, you're not pulling the _marriage card_ again, Grey," I utter in chastisement.

"Of course not," he rolls his eyes, annoyed by my rash assumption.

"I'm not certain that he's ready to talk to you quite yet, either. You know that you and he have some unresolved issues as well," I break it to him gently.

"So he's blaming me," he says, affronted.

"Sophie, you, Taylor… _Hell_ , he may even blame me for all I know," I sigh.

He's baffled. "Why would he be mad at you?"

"I was the one who insisted on telling you when you got home that I'd caught him and Sophie in the theater room when he was supposed to be in school."

Telling from his expression, it's not sinking in for him. "Why would he be upset at you about that? We're his parents. That's what we're supposed to do. Communicate. Be unified."

"Until then, he thought that he could trust me. Everything changed with us from that day. He no longer felt open to talk to me about anything and everything like he used to."

"But he told you about _this_ , right?"

I nod, and Christian turns the inside of his palms towards the ceiling, gesturing that he has _rest his case_.

"I don't know," I say, sighing for the umpteenth time since barging in here.

"So, you _don't_ want me talk to him."

"At least give him a little more time."

"But I'm going to see him at work tomorrow," he reminds me. "You don't expect me to not bring it up."

I shake my head. "Tell him that you're aware and you'll discuss things at a later date. If he wants to talk about it sooner, then leave the door open for that. But he's taking this quite hard, so it's best that he knows that he has your support if he needs it."

Christian sighs and shakes his head. I know that I'm asking him to do the impossible. My husband has this eternal itch to want to just fix everything _right now_. And after all of these years, he still doesn't realize that life doesn't always work like that. People need time to process things. Teddy's a grown man. He's no longer our little boy.

By the time we break away for dinner, I still don't get a verbal acknowledgement from Christian that he will lay back for a while before discussing this situation with Teddy. I just hope he doesn't add to the mountain of anxiety that our son's already dealing with.

….

"Why are you two acting so weird?" Brie says, critically scanning both her father and I.

At dinner, Christian sits directly to my right at the head of the table. Topher is next to me on the left, while the twins sit across from us – with Brie sitting next to her father.

"Yeah – what's wrong?" Beth chimes.

Topher – God bless him, he's completely oblivious as he devours his cheesy meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I'm somewhat impressed because he's killing something other than _chickey nuggets_. But I know that this news that I'm being forced to spill is probably going to interfere with Topher's mission to clear his plate.

"I have news," I preface.

Beth gasps. " _No way_. I remember the last time you said that."

I roll my eyes and glance at Christian who is fighting a laugh. He'd thought the very same thing.

But Brie does start laughing. "It would be hard for Mom to get pregnant after a hysterectomy."

"Mommy's pregnant?" Topher squeaks, pausing his fork in midair. I smile and ruffle up his hair.

"No, sweetheart. But we do have a new member in our family." There's no other way to sugarcoat this. There's no creative or tactful way to put say this, so I simply fire away. "You remember Ronan, don't you?"

"Roman?" Topher preciously squeaks with round doe eyes.

" _Roe_ – Nan." I sound out. "Your best friend from swim class."

"Is he coming back to swim?" he beams with excitement. I look over at the twins who are both frowning at me, confused. I turn back to my little guy.

"I don't know. But maybe we can take him with us since he's family now," I say, extremely hopeful.

"Huh?" Beth says from across the table, but I don't look up. I keep my eyes right on Topher.

"Ronan's mother is named Sophie Taylor."

"Oh my God! _Sophie_?!" Brie squeals. "I miss her _so_ much!"

"Yes! Me too!" Beth echoes, but I'm still zooming in on my little neighbor. In the background, I hear Christian shushing the girls.

"Is Roman's granny _her_ mommy?" my youngest says, putting two and two together.

I beam at my boy genius. "Yes – Ronan's granny's name is _Shannon_. Shannon's daughter is Sophie. Sophie is also Mr. Taylor's daughter."

Topher is astounded. "Mr. Taylor has a _daughter_?" I nod. "And is he Roman's grandpa?" I nod again – this time, smiling bigger.

"Wow," Topher says, his smile is matching mine. "Can Roman come over and play all the time now?" I am on the verge of tears when I nod this time.

"We're going to make the room right next to yours Ronan's room for whenever he comes over to visit. How does that sound?"

"Yay!" he cheers. His fork falls, loudly clanking against the porcelain startling everyone, but Topher isn't fazed. The rest of us are shocked that the plate doesn't shatter from the violent impact.

"I'm confused," Beth says. I finally look up at her.

"Your mother's not done," Christian says sternly, and Beth immediately shuts up.

I turn back to Topher. "So here's the cool news – Ronan also has a daddy."

"I know. Roman's daddy is locked up in a bad place," Topher says matter-of-factly. I shake my head.

"We just found out that's not Ronan's _real_ daddy," I break to him gently.

"Who's his real daddy, then?" he replies, genuinely intrigued for such a bright young age.

" _Teddy_ is Ronan's real daddy," I smile.

"Oh. My God."

This time, I'm not certain which twin says the words since I'm currently studying Topher – but then the other twin manages a loud, disbelieving gasp.

"Teddy?" Topher says with wide eyes. I nod enthusiastically. "Teddy is Roman's daddy?" I keep nodding.

"Wow!" he exclaims even louder than the news about Taylor being Ronan's grandpa. "Does that mean Roman's my brother, too?"

I smirk and hold back a laugh.  
 _That's exactly what Ronan thought._

"I don't believe this," Brie pipes in the background. "I'm an _aunt_?"

"You mean to tell me that Teddy and Sophie had a baby together? How old is he?" Beth adds. Christian murmurs the answer as I gear to answer Topher.

"That makes Ronan your _nephew_ … ** _not_** your brother."

"I'm an _uncle_?" he squeaks in astonishment. I nod, and I know that if I keep smiling this way, my face is going to numb – _permanently_. "But Roman is two months older than me," he adds. I laugh and decide that this would eventually explain itself over time. I resolve to plow forward through the family tree.

"And I'm Ronan's _other_ granny," I say proudly. "And Daddy is Ronan's _other_ grandpa."

Topher's hands clap against his thick dome of hair and whines.  
"This is _so_ confusing."

I pull his hands down and smooth his wild hair down. "I know, sweetie. I know. But just remember this for now – Ronan is _a Grey_. That's all you need to know. Okay?"

He nods and his heart-stopping smile returns with a vengeance.

"I can't _wait_ to see him. We're going to play _allll day_!"

* * *

 _Sophie_

Ronan's already in bed for the night when Phoebe calls. I dread answering it, but I do it anyway.

"Hi Phoebe," I say, sullen.

"Sophie," she answers. If I wasn't mistaken, it sounds a little like compassion coming into my ear from the other end of the phone. "I spoke to Teddy earlier on the phone. I also just stopped by my parents' after class and talked with my mom. In fact, I'm just getting home," she sighs.

"So, you know," I state the obvious.

"Yeah."

Her silence after that single syllable word is deafening, so I begin to fill in the void with my ramblings.

"I felt pressured by my father to stop seeing Ted. I also knew that Ted was feeling that same pressure from _his_ father. We felt it – for two years after getting caught. We had to sneak around. Ted was nineteen, Phoebe. It just didn't feel right anymore…all of the hiding. And then I got pregnant."

Phoebe sighs. "That's certainly some heavy shit, Sophie," she finally says. "I understand how you felt backed-up against a corner, but I still don't know how I should feel about this entire thing. I mean – you knowingly kept Teddy from his son for _four years_."

Unable to control it, I start to sob over the phone. I'm mentally kicking myself for being so raw with my boyfriend's… _excuse me_ , _ex_ -boyfriend's younger sister. I feel utterly defeated. I'm certain that one of my favorite people for the past twenty-one years now despises me.

"I know. I was so damned stupid," I grunt though the tears. "I know there's nothing I can do to turn back time. Ted will never understand what led to my actions, nor do I expect him to. What I did was extremely foolish."

"Sophie – I feel for you. Honest, I do," she responds compassionately. "My father can be a royal prick, and I'm sure you feel the same about yours. I know that you're not a bad person."

And when she says it, a weight immediately lifts off of my chest and I start to weep even louder. I quickly buckle down and try to control it so I don't scare this girl off the phone. She is being so patient with me right now.

"You're not Diana," she continues. "But what you did may seem much worse in the eyes of my brother – only because he loved you so much."

The pain begins to radiate all over again at her words.  
 _Loved._

To me, that's a strong indication that Ted no longer _loves_ me. The dam breaks once more and I'm crying all over again.

"Sophie…I'm so sorry. I wish I could come by."

"No… _please_ ," I beg through heaping sobs. "Its fine." I eventually settle down enough to begin to hear her clearly through the phone, but the tears continue to cascade down my face.

"You are just going to have to be patient with my brother, because this is indeed some heavy shit right here, as I've said," she remarks in the utmost understated way.

"I know it is," I say in understanding.

"He gets irrational whenever his mind is dead set on something. But I've known you my whole life, Sophie. I know that you'd do nothing malicious on purpose, or to spite anyone else. You're _nothing_ like _Diana_ ," she says the name of her former-future-sister-in-law peppered with contempt.

"Once he cools down I'll be right in his ear telling him to _get over it_ and to give you another chance," she says, assured.

I shake my head, knowing good and well that she can't see it.  
"I appreciate your kindness, Phoebe, but that's not necessary. I don't deserve Ted's love."

"Bullshit."

"I'm serious. You even said that he deserves the very best. I'm not _it_. I've betrayed him the worst possible way."

"Well, no matter where things stand between the two of you, it has absolutely no bearing on our friendship – please know that. I am here for you," Phoebe stresses with a sincere warmness that dulls the aching feeling in my chest.

"I appreciate your support, Phoebe. Honest – it means the world to me," I say, literally choked up.

"I'm so excited to have a nephew," she says in a tone that sounds nothing but thrilled. "And he's Topher's bestie for crying out loud. He's so excited!"

"He knows?" I gasp, surprised.

"Mm hmm."

"And your father?"

"Yep. And the twins – they _all_ know. And we absolutely can't wait to meet him."

My mouth is agape as the tears begin to pour out of my eyes even faster. I'm speechless.

 _They – the Greys – are anxious to meet my son.  
Ted's son. _

And I feel relieved, yet even more ridiculous for keeping this entire family in the dark for so long. I was afraid that they would reject him. No, they are too eager to embrace him.

"Let's do lunch the next time you're free," Phoebe insists.

"Yeah, sure. Absolutely."

"And like I said, no matter what comes out of all of this, know that I still love you like a big sister. Okay?"

I'm beyond touched and feel extremely undeserving of Ted's sister's affection. I really hope that Ted doesn't consider her as a traitor for being so kind to me.

* * *

 _Tuesday, March 25, 2036_

 _Ted_

Word of my secret love child is slowly getting out.

My mother already has Uncle Elliot working in the penthouse configuring Ronan's bedroom on the first floor. Right now, the master bedroom is the only bedroom on the main floor. Until Ronan's new room is finished, he'll be in one of the guestrooms upstairs during the nights he sleeps over. I'll also be sleeping upstairs in one of the nearby spare rooms when he's there in order to keep a close eye on him.

Mom is also going all out at her place, redesigning the spare bedroom next to Topher's from the ground up. Oddly enough, that same room used to be mine.

Since the aftermath of the DNA test, I haven't really spoken one-on-one to Sophie. Quite honestly, I really don't care to. I'm still as mad as hell at her as I was the night that she told me that she's been keeping my son away from me for the past four years.

I don't ever see myself getting over that. In fact – just last night, I went as far as to contemplate about filing for joint custody, but I quickly talked myself out of the thought.

 _The boy doesn't even know you, Grey.  
_ And that fact makes this whole thing hurt even more

I wasn't there when he had his first cry, or took his first bottle. I wasn't around when he babbled his first word. I wasn't there for his first cold. I didn't know he even existed when he took his first step.

Fuck, this hurts.  
This hurts _so_ bad.

And now this preschooler – not infant, not toddler – is coming over to my house tonight. We'll be alone, and I am freaking out over the very thought of that.

I've babysat Topher countless of times.  
But this is _my son_. A son who doesn't even know who the hell I am.

If there were anything in my belly, I'd hurl it all out. But over the past few days, I haven't been able to even stomach a single bite. And to top it off, my sleep has been horrible.

More than a few times, I've wanted to drive over to Sophie's and just scream in her face to make the pain go away – but I can't do that. And tonight, that definitely won't happen because our son will be there. He doesn't know me as it is, so I won't be doing myself any favors by being a complete asshole to his mom in his face.

 _Fuck, Sophie…why?_

I wish that Barney in Tech could just produce a time machine so I can go back in time and warn her not to keep such a huge secret from me. I thought I had done everything possible to show her that I wasn't going anywhere.

Still, it wasn't enough to reassure her that our love would survive anything and everything. She thought that she knew better than I ever did. My plans for us were simply ideas to her – imaginations. Fantasy. They weren't anything concrete that she could sink her teeth into. But for me it was all real. It was as real as the clothes I'm wearing – as the air that I'm breathing.

Sophie was my fucking life.  
She couldn't see that.  
 _Now_ look at us. I can't even stand the very sight of her.

Earlier at work, my father briefly stopped by my office on his way to a meeting and told me that Mom had shared the paternity results with him – which I'd already knew. He said that we could discuss things later, but I'd much rather get this shit over with now.

I know the drill – my dad's going to lord this over my head. I'm pretty sure that he views me as a rude asshole for knocking up the babysitter while not being married to her. But something tells me that he's not going to make the same mistake twice by urging me to marry someone.

 _"So when do you see him again?" he asked. "Ronan."_

 _"Tonight. Sophie's dropping him off on her way in to work."_

 _He nods his approval. "Good. Make sure you take pictures. And you might want to video chat with your mother while he's over there. She'll want to see him."_

I remember blinking in shock at his oddly caring demeanor.  
 _Is this an early onset of dementia?_

 _"You know that he's coming over to your house tomorrow night, right?  
Mom's bringing him to meet you and Taylor," I said to him._

 _"Really?" he says, undoubtedly surprised._

 _Shit, maybe I wasn't supposed to tell him that._

I'd like to be a fly on the wall when Ronan finally meets his two ornery grandpas, but I have way too much work to catch up on. Once upon a time I was way ahead of the curve – but since Thursday, I've been a fucking train wreck. I won't have time to work late tonight since I'll have Ronan. So tomorrow night, I'll be playing catch-up at the office.

….

As I pace the great room of the penthouse, Parker, my new security guy who's holding a small overnight duffle bag escorts in Sophie and Ronan. I immediately look down and watch the little guy as he takes in his new huge, intimidating surroundings.

My eyes then go up to Sophie and I feel sick. I'm livid at her, although she's still so beautiful on the outside. She's just as astonished as Ronan is. It's then when I recall that she's also never been here. Remembering herself, she stops gawking at the space and drops down to her knees. She places both hands on Ronan's face.

"I'll pick you up as soon as I get off work, in the morning okay? In the meantime, you're going to have fun with your Daddy," she assures him before kissing him on his forehead.

This entire exchange is weird. I'm this little boy's _Daddy_ , but he doesn't know me from Adam. His eyes turn from his mother to me.

"Is Topher here, too?" he says in a small, nervous voice.

I smirk at him. "No. I thought it would be nice if it were just you and I to start. I would like you to get to know me a little bit better, and maybe I can learn some things about you. How does that sound?"

"Okay," he says, unsure.

Sophie kisses him on the cheek and pulls him in for a tight hug. "I'll see you later. Have fun, okay?" He nods wistfully and she stands to her feet.

She looks at me as if she wants to say something to me other than what she says next, but I'm sure that my less than welcoming expression discourages her from saying anything that will end up pissing me off.

"Call me if you need anything."

I nod and turn away from her, and then she leaves.

….

I gawk at him like he's a cutest little monkey at the zoo as he eats a plate of the macaroni and cheese that Gail, Mrs. Taylor sent over just for him. He's spoken no more than two words since his mother left – and after only his fourth bite, he stops eating.

"Hey, don't you think you could eat a little bit more of that?"

He shakes his head.

"What's wrong? Does it taste good?"

He nods.

"So why won't you eat it?"

He shrugs his shoulders.

"What else do you like to eat?"

When he shrugs his shoulders once more, I know for certain that he'd rather be anywhere _but_ here. Maybe I should've had Topher over. Perhaps the presence of my little brother will help ease Ronan up until he becomes a little more comfortable with being alone with me.

I feel utterly helpless. Part of me wants to call Sophie and get her advice, but she's the last person I want to talk to right now. And if I call my mother, she wouldn't give me any advice. Instead, she'd rush right over. I need to figure this all out on my own.

"Are you sleepy?" I ask.

He shrugs again. The whole time he doesn't even look at me, and I feel completely useless.

"Do you want some juice?"

His face falls down even further. His eyes are now studying his small lap. His feet slowly dangle in air in the _too-high_ chair.

"What do you like to do? You like to draw?"

He says nothing.

"Hey, what's your favorite cartoon? I pretty much have everything since Topher comes over from time to time. What do you say?" I smile, trying to bend down and catch his eye. His eyes remain facing down. We continue to sit in silence until seconds morph into minutes. Soon, his lip starts to quiver.

"I want my mommy and my granny," he whimpers so quietly, I would've missed it if there were any other background sounds besides my own breathing. Still, his quiet plea manages to crush my soul like a resounding trumpet.

"Ronan, you understand that I'm your daddy, right?" I say in a soothing voice. "If you're afraid, you don't need to be. I'm going to protect you."

He shakes his head until finally, our eyes meet for the first time since Sophie left. "My real daddy is locked up in the bad place."

 _Hell no. Fuck this._

I can feel the blood curdling inside of me to the point where I feel physically ill. _This is all Sophie's fault_ I immediately think, but I ignore the nagging feeling.

I can't scare this little boy. I need to show him that I'm no one to be afraid of. So in a spark of revelation, I stand and walk over to pour a small plastic cup of apple juice. I place it next to him and then walk away from the breakfast bar.

Then I'm walking away from the kitchen. From afar off in the great room, I can still see him where I stand. Eventually, he looks up and over to the right. Then he looks to the left. When he doesn't see me nearby, he takes the cup into both hands and nearly devours the entire thing before placing it back down. Soon after that, he picks up his fork and starts eating the macaroni.

Later, Ronan finally falls asleep in my bed, still in his clothes, while watching TV all by himself. I realized that every time I was near him, he'd tense up. So for the entire night, I've been maintaining a sizable distance from him while still keeping an eye on him without his knowledge.

I tiptoe and close the bedroom door before heading over to the kitchen to finally clean up the dinner dishes from earlier. And as I rinse out plates and wipe down counters, I stew on how much time Sophie has robbed me with my son. Ronan is confused, and understandably so.

Suddenly, I lob a glass across the kitchen and it shatters violently against the wall. Feeling beyond helpless, I sink to the floor begin sobbing uncontrollably like a child. I haven't cried in _years_. And the whole time, the same devastating phrase continues to repeat in my head.

 _Ronan will never accept me as his father._

* * *

 ** _A/N: My faithful readers, thanks for your patience after the last cliffhanger. I hope that this was worth the wait._**

 ** _Right now, it seems that once-a-week updates work best for me. If I'm lucky and not traveling or working on a huge project, I may manage to squeeze out two updates in a week. But for your sanity (and mine), you can count seeing at least one update a week. :) Also, keep in mind that your reviews do quite a bit to keep me on my game, so please keep them coming if you want to see more! Every writer needs a little bit of encouragement every now and then. :D_**

 ** _Up Next – Ana introduces Ronan to his two grandfathers. Following that, she'll finally have a one-on-one with Shannon to see where her head is in all of this._**

 ** _Later, Ted pours his heart out to a trusted friend about his most recent struggles. Afterwards, he'll meet someone who ignites a spark in his future plans._**


	27. Chapter 27 - Just The Two Of Us

**Chapter 27 – Just The Two Of Us**

 _Wednesday, March 26, 2036_

 _Ana_

The toughest thing about being a parent is the act of witnessing your children in pain – and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

"I'm a stranger to him," Teddy utters next to me on the couch in my office. His eyes study his polished Borolo-hued leather oxfords.

"And he's a stranger to you, too," I remind him.  
"It's going to take time."

"He's almost four," he flinches once his eyes are back on me. "My son's almost four and doesn't have a clue who I am. He still thinks that some random guy in prison is his father."

"A random guy who apparently cared for your son," I say, attempting to reassure him – but why on earth would I ever think that would soften the blow. He's practically seething at me now.

" _My_ son, Mom," he growls.

"I know," I softly propitiate.

"And she kept him from me. For _four years_ , she kept him from me."

I slide over and wrap my arm around him, laying my head on his heavy shoulder.

"This sucks right now – I _know_ it does. But I know that boy is going to come to love you. Don't give up," I plead.

"I don't have a choice," he says firmly.

I sit up, twist in my seat, and look him square in the eye.  
"You have a choice. You _always_ have a choice. And you're choosing to be that sweet boy's father."

Teddy's eyes fall to his lap and I take his hand and squeeze it.

"You feel rejected by him. I understand. But he's a child, Teddy. Once he's familiar with you, things will change. I don't believe it'll take long. At least I hope that it doesn't." Teddy doesn't appear to be as hopeful as I am.

"It's our turn tonight," I remind him with a melancholy grin.

This evening, Gloria and I are picking up Ronan from Sophie's and taking him home to meet the rest of the family. He'll also be meeting his grandpa Jason for the very first time.

"I'm sure you'll have better luck than me…with Topher there to keep him company and all," Teddy says.

"Topher and the twins won't be home when we initially arrive. I thought it would be good for Ronan to spend some quality time with his grandfathers before Topher and the girls take over," I smirk.

" _Oof_ ," Teddy winces. "I'm anticipating some very awkward moments."

"I honestly don't know what to expect," I shrug. "But I'll keep you posted. And promise me that you'll keep your chin up. Just be patient with Ronan. And I'll be sure to keep reminding him that you are in fact his daddy," I reassure him, rubbing his knee.

"I don't know even what I'm doing," he laughs under his breath.

"A parent never does," I say with a loving smile. "We simply learn as we go."

"But you've been doing this for decades. I've only known about being a father for a little less than a week. I've spent no more than twelve hours _total_ with him…and he's almost four," Teddy broods.

"I know – but he's here _now_. Ronan is here. You can't dwell on the time that you've lost. You only have today. Make the best out of the time you have _now_ ," I implore.

Teddy's hands glide up to cover his face in frustration and I rub his arm in encouragement. _My poor, poor tortured son._

"Don't be afraid to ask for help. You can't do it alone – it's _impossible_ ," I say to him.

"This is so fucked up, Mom. _Sorry_ ," he quickly apologizes for his abrasiveness. I don't even flinch.

"I know – it _is_ ," I agree. "But you're going to get through it. _We_ are going to get through it…as a family."

….

On the ride over to Sophie's, I think back to when I sat with Teddy this morning. He's even more torn than he was when he first told me about being Ronan's father. The implied rejection from his innocent young boy has him petrified. Although we know in our minds that a young child can't truly comprehend complex matters such as this, that doesn't stop us from feeling hurt.

Honestly, I don't know what I'd do if I were in Teddy's shoes.

But I wish that he would just talk to Sophie. If Ronan saw the two of them together, he would feel much more comfortable connecting with his daddy.

Unfortunately, that's not going to happen anytime soon – so I tried my very best not to even bring her up this morning. Teddy has insurmountable enmity towards Sophie right now. Her very name is a trigger – and although it's understandable, the whole thing's still rather painful to witness on my end.

When Gloria pulls up to Sophie's building, I glance over to my left where a brand new booster seat is already strapped in. Butterflies spread across my chest.

 _I have a grandson._

I go on alone and soon Sophie is buzzing me into the building. Once I exit the elevators on the eighth floor, I can see her head peering from her doorway down the hall. She's dressed in her black skirt suit, white blouse work uniform. I smile along the way as she tries to pull one off herself. But she can't hide what's lingering on the inside. Just like Teddy, she's desperately hurting too.

 _Boy, those two crazy kids.  
What am I going to do with them?_

It just boggles my mind that they have hidden their love from everyone else for all of these years. That same love helped bring forth a gorgeous little boy. And now they can no longer be in the same room together. It breaks my heart.

When I get to Sophie, we embrace and touch cheek to cheek.

"Hey," I greet tenderly.

"Hi Ana," she replies. "How was work today?"

"Hectic," I say with an ironic chuckle. "I've been looking forward all day to spending time with the little guy." Sophie smiles in response.

Once inside, I notice Ronan sitting on the sofa with his knees bent and his feet propped underneath his bottom. He looks up from the colorful booklet in his hands. The joy in my heart overflows at the very sight of him.

 _My grandson._

"Honey, get your shoes on. It's time to go," his mother orders lovingly.

With curly reddish-brown hair and rosy cheeks, he's a cherub in Oshkosh jeans and a red Spider-Man sweatshirt. He looks at me relatively pensive, but hops off the sofa anyway in obedience. His hesitant expression tugs at my heartstrings. Before he's able to go too far, I place a palm on his very soft headful of hair. Slowly, he looks up at me.

" _Hi_ Ronan," I beam.

"Hi," he quietly replies. _Shy thing._

"Guess who you're going to see tonight at dinner?"

His eyes widen with wonder. "Topher?" he says in the sweetest little voice.

"Mm hmm," I grin.

There's a twinkle in his eye and I see his adorable little white teeth for the first time since his last appearance at swim class. I practically melt right then and there. Without delay, he scatters off to fetch his shoes.

"Here's his overnight bag," Sophie says, handing over a small blue duffle.

"Thank you. He'll have a fun time. Topher will see to it," I beam perkily.

"I'm sure. Ronan's been so excited to see him." Suddenly, her soft smile fades. "Do you know how last night went? With Ted?" she asks reluctantly.

I narrow my eyes, rather puzzled by her question. "He didn't tell you?"

She's alarmed. "Tell me _what_? He just patted him on the head and said that he'll see him Friday. Was everything okay? Ronan never said otherwise."

I feel a dip in my stomach.  
 _Wow, Teddy's really not speaking to her._

"Ronan wasn't quite comfortable last night. Teddy had to pretend to leave the room before he would finish his supper."

Sophie appears to be shocked.

I nod with emphasis. "Teddy had to do the same before Ronan could fall asleep. He didn't want to brush his teeth or change into his PJs. He slept in Teddy's bed with his clothes on, while Teddy slept across the room on the sofa."

"Oh no," she sighs sadly. "I feel awful."

I place my hand on her upper back and warmly reassure her.  
"It's going to take time. I said as much to Teddy. Ronan has to get to know him."

My words do nothing to console her. In fact, she appears as if she's ready to cry at any moment now. _Oh no._ On instinct, I wrap my arms around her. It takes a few beats before she reciprocates.

"It's going to be okay," I murmur in comfort.

"He won't talk to me… _Ted_ ," she shakily whispers.

"Things will get better – I promise. Teddy just needs more time."

 _Time_ is indeed the ongoing theme in this entire toilsome situation. Time was lost – and more time is required in order to get newly acquainted with one another…Teddy with Ronan and vice versa. But _time_ to heal is vital in any situation – be it from a physical injury _or_ a broken heart.

Sophie broke Teddy's heart. And although I don't know all of the particulars, I get the gist of what she did. I _get it_ – but was it wise?

When I was pregnant with Teddy, I was the same exact age as Sophie when she was pregnant with Ronan. Would I have done what she did? If I could've, would I have kept my pregnancy a secret from Christian?

The answer to that is a resounding _no_. Granted, I did try to run away from my husband after his less than warm reception to the news of my pregnancy. But somehow I knew in my heart of hearts that no matter how much I covered up my tracks, Christian would always find me. I just needed to create the space between us so that he would realize what he'd be missing.

However, I would never in a million years withhold the fact that I was carrying Christian's child. I wouldn't have located Gunther Lewis in Portland and pretended that he was Teddy's father.

But then again, I didn't have Grace, Carrick or their staff breathing down my neck. And Ray never worked for the Greys. _I've never walked in Sophie's shoes…thank God._ Just the very thought of everything that this young woman has gone through squeezes that vital muscle located in the center of my being.

Slowly, we pull away and Sophie wipes away her tears. "I'm not all that confident. I've done the unthinkable to him, and I honestly don't blame him for being mad…not even a little bit," she sniffles.

My hand gently cups her chin and I encourage her head to lift. "Time," I reiterate, whispering with a reassuring smile. "And things may seemingly get worse before they get better – but don't let that get you down. And if you ever need to talk about _anything_ , I'm here."

"Thank you, Ana," she exhales, trying hard to compose herself as Ronan resurfaces – now with shoes on.

….

I take Ronan's small hand as he hops out of the backseat of the sedan. He squeezes my hand tighter as he takes in the intimidating surroundings of our twenty-car garage. Each vehicle is waxed and shined as if it's to be displayed on a showroom floor. We hardly ever drive even half of them on a regular basis, but Taylor and team do excellent work to keep each car in tiptop shape, both operationally and appearance-wise.

Sawyer meets us and intercepts my shoulder bag and Ronan's overnight duffle from Gloria. I thank him and he nods before escorting us through the garage and into the house before handing off our bags to someone else on the security team.

The closer we get to the great room, the more my stomach flutters. I'm happy, yet nervous. I'm still thinking about Teddy's trying time last night. I'm confident that Ronan will do fine with Topher here, but it doesn't stop me from feeling apprehensive.

And now, we enter the lion's den.

Taylor and Gail are standing close together on one side of the room. With a linen apron strung across a short-sleeved floral dress, Gail's dons an emotional smile. Her husband on the other hand in his usual black suit looks rather wan. I feel a lump beginning to form in my chest. I turn to the opposite side of the room and see my husband who's wearing suit pants and a white shirt unbuttoned at the collar. His expression is unreadable as he scans from Taylor to Ronan.

Was this a mistake? Perhaps I should've broken this up into two separate introductions, because this moment is entirely too much for me to handle. The love that was shared between our two families through Sophie and Teddy created this precious being that's now clinging on to my hand for dear life.

I get an idea and drop to my knees to reach Ronan at eye level.

"Let's play a game," I start, smiling at him. "You remember who I am?"

Ronan flashes me a confused frown. "You're Topher's mommy," he squeaks. I look to see Gail shielding her tears, while Taylor bows his head in distress. I shift my head and witness Christian staring awkwardly at the floor.

 _Oh boy._

"Yes, but I'm also _Ted's_ mommy. Remember Ted? You stayed at his house last night. Ted's your daddy, so that makes me your grandma."

"You can't be a grandma," he pouts in the sweetest way. "You're not an old lady."

I burst out laughing and peer over my shoulder to catch Christian grinning.

"But I am. I am _Ronan's_ grandma. And this over here is your grandpa… _Christian_. Christian Grey." Christian gives him a soft smile that truly melts me. Ronan then turns to me.

"Topher's daddy?" he asks shyly.

I nod enthusiastically. "Mm hmm. And remember what I said about what that makes Topher?" I beam and the little angel shakes his head. We've gone through this all before, but I'm sure he's still overwhelmed by this seemingly _instant family_. "That makes Topher your uncle."

Ronan frowns. " _Uncle_?" From the corner of my eye, I see that Taylor is now drying his eyes.

 _Jesus, this is sooo hard.  
It's hard, but it needs to be done until Ronan gets it._

 _We are his family, too._

"Yes, sweetheart. Your daddy Ted has three sisters and a brother who are your aunts and uncle. But you wanna know something else that's pretty cool?" I say as I pull the sweet boy closer to me. He looks at me with wide eyes.

"You see that handsome man standing over there?" I say, pointing over to Taylor. Ronan shyly nods. "His name is Jason Taylor."

"My name is Ronan Taylor," he whispers with wide eyes.

"Yes," I say, delighted. "And you were named after him. _Taylor_. He's your grandpa, too. Jason Taylor is your mommy's daddy."

Ronan gazes at a crying Taylor with sheer confusion.

" _Mommy's daddy_?" he asks, looking back at me. I nod with a tender smile.

"And that pretty lady standing next to him is his wife. Her name is Gail. She's your _other_ grandma. She was like a second mommy to _your_ mommy," I explain.

And I've officially lost him.

"Look, I know that this is all very confusing to you. But we here…we all just want to love you. I know that it's going to take some time for you, but we have all of the time in the world. It's okay to be scared. But you trust Topher, right?"

He hesitates, and then nods.

"Good. So for one night a week, you'll hang out here with us. You can share Topher's room until your room is ready. Then you'll spend time on the other days getting to know your daddy. How does that sound?"

Ronan stands still in silence, but I can tell that he's trying to process this very complicated information.

….

After changing into some very comfortable leggings and a long t-shirt, I make my way out of the master bedroom and journey back over to the great room to see if Gail and Ronan made it back there after his pre-dinner snack. The room's empty.

I try the kitchen and I squint when I see Gail in there working away. Alone. She looks up from the stove when I enter.

"Where's Ronan?"

"Mr. Grey was with him."

My brow furrows. "Where's Jason?"

"Back at the house. He'll be back in time for dinner."

I'm shocked even more so. Christian is spending one-on-one time with his newfound grandson? No – I have to see this with my very own eyes before I accept this as truth. Without saying another word, I turn on my heel and venture over to Christian's other favorite place in this house, besides our bedroom.

Once I arrive, I see that the door is not closed all the way. I flinch upon hearing a mechanical sound coming from inside. I peer in.

" _Wowww_ ," Ronan gasps, looking up at the ceiling in absolute wonder. He's standing in the middle of the floor while Christian stands right next to him holding a large panel remote.

I realize what he's doing and try to hold back my laughter. I approach closer and look up to see a model helicopter gliding across the room.

"You wanna try?" Christian murmurs sweetly. Ronan nods enthusiastically. Christian lands the aircraft right before them with ease and drops to his knees. Ronan is immediately at his side, looking intently.

"Now this lever helps the helicopter move up and down," Christian demonstrates without activating the device. "This one – left to right. You got it?" Ronan nods enthusiastically. "I'm going to help you at first. It's tricky. You don't want to crash it," Christian smirks.

 _Be still, my heart._ And I'm literally clenching my chest with both hands.

"Now what's the power source again?" Christian quizzes.

"Solar," the little one answers proudly.

"Excellent. We've come a long way in the last twenty years. In fact, your grandma Ana gave me a helicopter just like this one a long, long time ago."

 _Oh my God, Grey. Just slaughter my heart, why don't you.  
_ I'm fighting back tears. _Happy_ tears.

"Do you have it?" Ronan asks in marvel.

Christian nods. "It's on my desk at work. Unlike this one, the solar power doesn't store in the bank. That one only works in the daytime."

"Do you have a solar rocket ship, too?" Ronan inquirers with amazed hope beaming from his gorgeous blue eyes. I simply melt at the sight.

Christian chuckles at first, but his expression quickly morphs into contemplative. "No, but that's not a bad idea."

I know right then and there by the contemplative look on his face that Barney will be getting an email tonight detailing his next project. But this won't be for GEH purposes…it'll be solely for a bright, scientifically minded little boy.

Yep, Grey is done for. Ronan has already stolen his heart.

"Let's launch this helicopter back up into airspace. What do you say?" Christian offers. Ronan nods enthusiastically in reply, and his grandpa, whom he just met an hour ago, circles his arms around him along with the bulky controller. Christian guides his little hands exactly where they should go.

"Alright…show me how to bring it up."

Ronan moves his hands towards the joystick on the right and looks up at Christian to make sure. Grey nods and Ronan gives it a go as the propeller quietly whirl back to life. Soon, the toy gradually propels into the air, and Ronan is amazed beyond belief.

"I'm doing it!"

I gasp out loud as I am wiping away tears. Christian turns and sees me, but diligently keeps an eye on Ronan. I open the door wider and walk in. Ronan catches me.

"Look!" Ronan excites, pointing to the floating device with his free hand.

"Both hands on the remote," Christian cautions, and Ronan remembers himself. Both Christian and I try and mask a grin.

"I see! That's _awesome_ , Ronan," I praise.

The toy veers left and hovers at the other side of the room over Christian's desk. Slowly, Ronan lowers it down until it sits on top a stack of papers – with grandpa's help, of course.

I start to clap and Christian does too.

"That's fantastic!" I cheer.

"Excellent flying, Ronan," Christian adds. But before the two can take Charlie Tango IV for another spin, we are interrupted.

"Roman!" Topher squeals, running in past me.

"Topher!"

Christian stands with the remote as the two three-year-old boys hug it out like long lost friends. I purse my smiling lips at my husband, who's completely astounded by how close these two preschoolers are. It's understandable since he's never seen those two in action. It's indeed a sight to behold.

"Where is he?" I hear a female voice call out from outside.

Soon, Beth appears at the doorjamb. "They're in here!" she calls back. Soon, Brie joins her.

"Oh my God, he's _so_ cute!" Brie raves.

"Whoa – he looks like Teddy," Beth gapes.

I am utterly speechless as I gaze across the room, so thankful for these people who I care so much about. Of course we are missing two others, but we now add one more into the fold. _My grandson._

Ronan is in the process of animatedly describing his piloting experience to Topher. "And I landed it right over there," he points over to the mountain of papers.

"Daddy, I wanna fly it, too," Topher whines while pulling down on Christian's pants. "Can me and Roman have the remote?"

"No…not now, son. It's time for dinner."

"Aww," Topher pouts.

"Hi Ronan," peps Brie, now standing in front of our first-time visitor.

"My name is Brianna. You can call me Brie. I'm your aunt. And this is your other aunt, Bethany."

"Beth," the other insists. "Can I have a hug?" she begs.

Ronan gives her a confused gaze – and then flashes it at Brie before returning to Beth.

"You look the same."

Brie, Beth, and I all laugh at the overload of cuteness.

"They're twins," Topher explains to his bestie.

"Oh. Cool." Ronan's plain and simple response now has Christian laughing right along with us.

For the rest of the night, Ronan and Topher are inseparable. Even at dinner, Taylor wasn't able to bond with his newfound grandson as much as I felt he wanted to. He'd actually left to add the finishing touches to the train set that he'd been working on at his house for the past few days. The plan is for Ronan to go over there and see the finished product tomorrow morning while Topher is being homeschooled by his preschool tutor.

Perhaps Mrs. Wallace could take in another student.  
I'll have to ask Sophie about that.

* * *

 _Thursday, March 27, 2036_

 _Sophie_

I return to the front counter with Stacey after taking a call in the office. My lawyer just called to inform me that the Glenns are now well aware that Ronan is not their biological grandson. When I asked if the other shoe would eventually drop, he told me that he doesn't think that it will.

 _"Ronan's not a blood relative – end of story.  
They simply want to move on with their lives," he said._

But I wish it were that easy for me. My son's father, the man that I can't get out of my mind, despises me. And he lets me know it by remaining silent.

I texted him last night and asked him to call to discuss what happened the other night with him and Ronan. He read my message…that much was clear – but _never_ responded.

 _Teddy, Teddy, Teddy.  
What do I need to do to make this right?  
What __**can**_ _I do?_

Stacey, the raven-haired dynamo approaches my side and wraps her arm around me. "I hate seeing you like this," she says. I lean my head against her shoulder.

"I know – I'm sorry," I murmur, trying hard not to cry for the hundredth time this morning. I've cried more over this past week than I have throughout my entire life. The thought is devastating.

"I wish we were on the same schedule. I'd take you out for drinks after work," she says with a melancholy smile.

"I could definitely use one. Or _ten_." She laughs. "Well, I guess I'd better get going. Is Troy here yet?"

"He came in while you were in the office."

"Good."

Before I can turn around and head to the office to retrieve my purse, in walks an older man holding the hand of a little boy. _My_ little boy.

 _Dad._

I gape at him as if I just saw a ghost. He stops in the middle of the lobby floor, hesitant to come any closer. Then I remember why. _Oh shit – the restraining order._ But I wave them down anyway.

"Mommy!" Ronan cheers. I glide from around the counter and kneel to hug him.

"Hey sweet pea," I say, practically in tears. I soon stand and look my father in the eye. I am on the verge of falling apart.

"Hey," my father says bashfully.

"Hi," I whisper, blinking my eyes madly.

Ronan tugs at my skirt and I look down. "I played with the train set at your daddy's house. I also flew a toy helicopter with Topher at his house. His daddy taught me how to fly it," he says proudly. I beam in response.

"Sounds like you had _so much_ fun," I say with a lump stuck in my throat.

"Yep. Me and Topher were s'posed to go to sleep, but we couldn't. We made up fun games in the dark and played them all night. I was _so_ sleepy this morning."

I laugh. "Did you at least get a nap?"

"He slept on the way here," my father's resounding base-filled voice chimes. I laugh. "I know that you were planning on coming by the Greys' to pick him up after your shift. I decided to bring him here. I hope you don't mind."

I shake my head. " _No_ …thank you." I am standing face to face with the man that I've been trying my hardest to avoid for as long as this little one's been alive. And now we are finally breathing in the same air – and for some strange reason, I don't feel that same animosity towards him.

Seeing him holding hands with my son is doing something to me that I can't explain. I turn around and start to cry. I soon feel a hand on my shoulder…my father's hand.

"Ronan, do you want to go with me for candy and soda?" I hear Stacey's voice behind me. I turn and see her coming around the counter, while a concerned Troy, now on the clock, stares at me. And as much as I want to fight Stacey on the very idea of Ronan drinking soda, I'm too out of it to do so.

"I've got it under control," Troy reassures both Stacey and I behind the customer-less front desk.

When I turn back around and look down, Ronan looks up at me with troubled eyes. "I'm fine, sweetie," I reassure him. "Go with Miss Stacey and get your snack. We'll go home when you come back, okay?"

Hesitant, Ronan takes Stacey's offered hand and goes along with her.

"Can we sit over there?" my father offers, pointing to two plush chairs off to the side of the lobby. I nod and we head in that direction.

As we sit, a thought enters my mind and my sight rises from my lap.

"Gail told you to come here – didn't she?"

My father closes his eyes and sighs. _I'm absolutely right._

"Ronan is a beautiful little boy," he says. "You've done a fantastic job with him."

Tears instantly stream from my eyes as I mouth the words " _thank you_ ".

"I'm sorry. For _everything_ ," he utters.

My face drops down to my palms and I can feel him sliding closer into the space next to me. Then he pulls me into his arms and holds me.

"I messed up, Sophie. I _really_ messed up."

"So did I," I struggle to speak out. My throat is constricting, making it difficult for me to breathe.

"But I should've fought for you. I didn't do that. Instead, I let you down. I pushed you away. If it weren't for me, that little boy would know his family. Now, he's confused as all hell with everything that's going on," he growls.

The expression on his face is indicative of so many years' worth of regrets. I'm truly staring at my own reflection. "I know," I weep. "But I blame myself for that. Ted blames me, too."

"I haven't had a chance to speak to Ted since I saw him at the hospital."

 _Excuse me?_

I gape at him. "Hospital?"

"After your accident," he responds without batting an eye.

My eyes grow wider. "You were there?"

He nodded. "My cop buddy ran your plates at the scene of the accident and called me."

 _Whoa. My father_ _ **was**_ _there._ I look at him, not knowing what else to say.

"I had to make sure you were okay. I knew your mother was out of town. Well – I'd heard she was… _with_ Ronan. I knew that you didn't want to see me. I made sure that your job had Ted listed as a contact. That's how he got involved."

I am blown away.

"Why Ted?" I ask.

"I knew you started seeing each other recently."

So Ted saw my father and didn't say anything to me about it.  
And Dad's apparently been keeping an eye on Ronan and me all this time.

"Did you ever suspect that Ronan was Ted's son?" I finally ask.

He soberly shakes his head. "I never got close enough to see him."

I swallow. I decide to spitfire out another pressing question.  
"Did you have anything to do with my custody case?"

He nods.

Without saying another word, I wrap my arms around him and begin to weep softly into his chest. He squeezes me into him tightly. I soon feel his face nuzzling my hair. All of a sudden, my brain teleports back twenty years. My daddy was the king of hugs. Hell…he still is.

When I was a little girl, Daddy always had this way of simply hugging me and undoing what my inexperienced mind deemed as a bad day. When my prized dolly lost her shoe and I'd fallen in a fit of tears, my father would give me one of his powerful squeezes and assure me that we would soon locate Zoe's missing slipper. And if he came up empty, my doll would have a brand new, even better pair of shoes the very next day.

The memory alone scorches me. My entire adult life, I've been estranged from my father. Look at us now. It's taking all of my strength not to completely fall apart. I'm an absolute emotional wreck.

"I'm _so_ sorry," he murmurs over and over again into my ear. I hold onto him for dear life as my quiet sobbing continues. If I weren't at work, I'd probably be howling. Shortly afterwards, Ronan runs up to us – leaving poor Stacey behind in his dust.

"Mommy – what's the matter?" he squeaks with the cutest little concerned expression on his face. I release my father and try to force a smile, but my child doesn't buy it. "I have Skittles. You want some?" he says, trying his best to cheer me up. It works.

"No, thank you sweetheart," I sniffle, beaming genuinely.

"Let me open that for you," my father offers. To my surprise, Ronan gives the unfamiliar man, who just yesterday was introduced to him as his grandfather, the bright red bag of sweet treats right away. Dad splits the top of the package in no time flat and hands it back to Ronan with a smile.

"Thank you," he whispers innocently.

"You're very welcome, Ronan," Dad smirks. After Ronan pours out a couple dots into his hand and stuffs them into his mouth, he holds out the bag to my father, offering him some. Witnessing the gesture, I feel like crying even more. And instead of turning him down, my father extends his palm and Ronan carefully pours him a handful of the rainbow colored candies. "Thank you," Dad says before plopping them all at once into his mouth.

"Mommy?" he says, holding out the bag to me. "You sure?"

I nod. "I'm sure. Thank you so much, my love. Are you ready to go home?"

"Yeah. Is your daddy coming, too?" he asks, panning across the two of us.

His question takes me aback. I look at my father who looks equally as stunned.

"Did you two have plans for dinner?" Dad pops up and asks.

"I was going to make grilled cheese and warm up the soup that I made last night," I tell him.

"If you don't mind saving that for lunch tomorrow, I'd like to take you two out for dinner…my treat. How does that sound?" he says, now focusing his attention solely on his grandson. My heart nearly skips a beat.

"Olive Garden?" Ronan chirps.

I laugh. "Ronan, we have soup at home."

"Do we have yummy breadsticks?" he challenges me.

I giggle. "You got me there."

"Well, the little man has spoken. Olive Garden it is," my father concludes with a slight grin, and doesn't take _no_ for an answer.

* * *

 _Ana_

Being that I've been utterly swamped at work, I haven't had much time to bask in the glory of last night. I'm so grateful that things went incredibly well with Ronan. Then this morning, Christian and I enjoyed breakfast with him, along with Topher and the twins before we all went our separate ways.

I do plan on reaching out to Sophie later this afternoon to see if she's fine with including Ronan in Topher's pre-school program. _Teddy's all for it._ Ronan would only need to be at the house three day's week, and it'll do wonders to fully prepare him for kindergarten next year in the fall.

But for now, I'm just surviving the workday. I'm currently on a quick call with Barney, our head of technology.

"So how's the solar water purification system prototype coming along?" I ask.

"It's progressing very well. I think we are ready to roll it out to the developing countries. I'm blown away with how cheap the tech is now for the assembly," Barney marvels.

"We've come such a long way from twenty years ago. I'm sure we can get this device in the hands of all of the countries who need it," I say proudly.

"I'm not sure if you knew, but as of this morning, I am taking a break from the project. But fear not, Drew has everything all under control."

I wince. "Drew's fantastic, but why are you stepping away?"

"Only for a couple of months," he assures me. "I'll continue to get updates. Right now, I'm working on another project for Mr. Grey. I just got word on it last night."

My eyes narrow. "What does he have you working on?"

"A model solar-powered rocket ship."

 _I_ _ **knew**_ _it._

I can't help myself…I burst out laughing. Of course Christian immediately told Barney to do it the moment Ronan said the words. If that child wanted an exact replica of the International Space Station, Christian wouldn't hesitate to make it happen.

"I take it that this is another project for Mr. Topher Grey?" Barney chuckles in humor.

My laughter subsides, but I can't cease smiling. "No, it's for Ronan. Our grandson."

"Excuse me? Am I missing something here?"

I imagine Barney's salt and pepper mustache rising up with his brows. I've certainly thrown him for a loop.

"It's a long story," I chuckle.

"Grandson, huh? I'm assuming Ted's the proud father?" It's a fairly easy guess for Barney being that he's never seen Phoebe pregnant in the many years she's worked here. And the twins would be absolutely out of the question.

"Mm hmm."

"Not a newborn, I assume."

"He'll soon be four."

"Whoa," he gasps. "Same age as Topher."

"Mm hmm."

Barney is at a loss for words on the subject. Without asking another question about it, he cordially congratulates me and promises me an update in a couple of weeks on what his team's been working on.

As soon as I hang up the phone, Lola chimes right through the speakerphone.

"Ana, I have a… _Shannon Lore_ on the phone. Any idea who she is?"

My mind draws a blank.  
 _Shannon Lore?  
Lore?_

And like a sack full of bricks to the head, it finally hits me.

 _Shannon._

"Yes, please patch her through."

I'm astounded that Sophie's mother has finally reached out to me after all this time.

"Hi, Ana speaking."

"Ana…this is Shannon, Sophie's mom," she says reluctantly.

My internal senses are immediately triggered at her less than welcoming tone. Granted, she doesn't sound either mean or bitter. I'm just not getting a warm and fuzzy feeling from her right now.

"Shannon… _hello_ ," I greet kindly. "How are you?"

"I'm doing okay," she says unconvincingly. "Look, I don't want to take up too much of your time…but I was wondering if you were available this afternoon to finally grab that cup of coffee." I'm surprised when she chuckles under her breath, and it causes me to laugh ironically, too.

"Yes, absolutely. What time works best for you? Five?" I offer.

"Yes, that would be great," she exhales. The gesture makes it seem as if a huge weight has been lifted from her shoulders. But then she says: "If you don't mind, I'd like it to just be you and me."

I'm perplexed. "Of course. That was always the original invitation," I assure her.

"Good," she breathes. "I know your office is downtown. There's a café nearby that Sophie likes to take me to from time to time."

"I know the place very well. Awesome skinny lattes," I beam.

"The very place," Shannon says, borderline cheerful.

….

It's quite hard to believe that both Shannon and I have the same precious little boy in common.

 _She's_ his grandmother.  
 _I'm_ his grandmother.

At the café, I look across the small table for two at the older woman with the very stylish short blond hair. Wearing jeans, a pewter blue rain jacket and the cutest black calf-length rain boots that I've encountered recently, she appears to hold the key to unlock so much wisdom. Granted, she's probably only fifteen or so years older than me. However, she's could absolutely teach me a thing or two about the harsh reality of living.

I've never lost a very close loved one other than my birth father, whom I never even met anyway. I did have a hard time after Sparky, our dog died many years ago, but other than that, I've been rather fortunate. I still have Ray. I still have Mom. Shannon on the other hand has lost both of her parents, as she explains.

Up to this point I've lived a rather charmed life along with the man of my dreams and our wonderful children, while my coffee date has been married and divorced and practically a single mother for most of her adult life. My heart truly goes out to her.

However, Shannon's truth isn't revealed in her appearance. No, she is quite attractive and upbeat as she and sits before me. As she drips with self-assurance and an air of great confidence, I idly wonder how I come across to her. Perhaps she's thinking to herself – _This pipsqueak hasn't the first clue what it's like to be a grandmother._

"I know it's taken me a while to call you. And to be honest, I had no intention of _ever_ calling you," Shannon says to rather frankly. I'm feeling even more discouraged than before. I nod with the intent of speaking out my understanding of how she feels, but she continues.

"It wasn't until Sophie told me the news when it all made sense. I had no idea how serious things were between her and your son. And I had no clue that they were recently dating."

I laugh. "Neither did I."

"She told me that Ted was just some random businessman that she was seeing. She was so afraid to open up to me because she knew how I felt about her father working for his father – _your husband_ – over the years."

"And Teddy didn't tell anyone that he was dating Sophie because of what happened back when he was seventeen," I offer in consolation.

She sighs and swallows. The expression on her face – _pain_. "The two of them kept every one of us all in the dark," she says, her inflection dripping with regret. I nod sadly in agreement. "If I knew the truth back then about Ronan's paternity, I would've _made_ Sophie come clean." My heart drops down my chest even further.

 _Where did we all go wrong?_

Whether or not Shannon and I, or Christian and Jason care to admit it, we all played a role in this entire mess. And as easy as it is for me to place the blame solely on the men, I didn't make it clear to my son that he had the absolute freedom to talk to me about _anything_.

Instead, I let Teddy shut me out while I just sat back and waited patiently for him to trust me again. I've always knew how much he cared for Sophie, but I had no idea how deeply. So I watched him work hard to please his father. I sat back while he got engaged to someone else other than his one and only true love.

 _"Did you have any idea that I was in love with her?  
I've loved her for __**years**_ _."_

The words that Teddy spoke in my office right after he revealed that he was in fact the father of Sophie's child lingers in my mind. And although I am overjoyed to have Ronan in our lives, I'm destroyed that Teddy is so hurt that he's completely pushed Sophie away.

 _He's repeating her past mistakes._

If my son were here now, I'd tell him that time's too damn short. _Forgive her._ We know Sophie's heart of hearts. Yes, she made a stupid choice…but she had nothing but the purest of intentions. We've all done it in some form or another. But then again, who am I to tell him how to feel about missing the first four years of his son's life? I can't help but feel overjoyed about Ronan being my grandson – time lost aside. But it's different when you're the actual parent. Time with your children means everything. They're not small children for very long – trust me, I know.

"Between you and I," Shannon starts, "there's no love lost between me and Jason. I've never even spoken to his wife a moment in my life…though I've heard she's quite nice."

"She's absolutely _wonderful_ ," I gush. "She's one of my dearest friends. She's more like family. So is Jason. Gail adores Sophie… _and_ Ronan."

Shannon nods. "And I know that Sophie thinks the world of her." She swallows before continuing. "And maybe for a time, I was even jealous of her." Her words take me aback. "It wasn't until it was just Sophie, me, and that little boy that I understood how much my daughter needed _me_. No matter who is in her life, I would continue to be that constant for her."

I offer her the warmest of smiles. "She's such a strong young woman. You must be proud."

However, she doesn't respond directly to my complement. Instead, she looks down forlornly at her hands cupping her latte. "I was hoping that she would learn from my mistakes. Instead, she mastered them."

I'm flinch at the harshness of her words but remain silent.

"I've always had this way of keeping my true feelings locked up. I would keep them covered under my sharp tongue. You combine that with Jason's thick skull, and you have a recipe for disaster," she wistfully grins.

"I told her to never be afraid to speak her truth because it took many years for me to finally speak mine. I love that girl with all that I am," she says, borderline tearing up.

I feel terrible watching her sway back and forth in inner turmoil. I wish I could say words that would pick up her spirits, but something tells me that she might not need that right now. _Listen to her, Ana._ I think that's all she needs right…someone to truly listen to her.

She clears her throat and forces a smile before looking back up at me. "But enough of that," she declares. "We have to unify…for Ronan's sake. _All_ of us. It's about that little boy now."

"Absolutely," I say adamantly. I'm so surprised that she's been doing all of the talking. I pictured it being me begging her to overlook her differences with Christian... _and_ Jason. Instead, she's doing the dialoging with herself in my presence as I simply sit back and watch. It's mind blowing.

"And regardless of how I may feel about certain individuals, I believe in my heart of hearts that I can trust you. I know that you will do right by Ronan, no matter what."

Shannon's words throw me for a loop. I'm almost speechless. "I appreciate your confidence in me," I say sincerely.

"From one mother to another, and now from one granny to another," she giggles – and I join her. She quickly sobers and continues making her point.

"I know that I'm not looking at the next iteration of _Mrs. Allie Glenn_. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that you would ever call my daughter a whore to her face, and then fight tooth and nail to take her son away from her."

" _What_?" I gasp out in shock. "Did Aiden's mom call her that?" I'm mortified.

Shannon nods. "Straight to her face," she says bitterly. "After Aiden was sent to prison, the Glenns tried to strong-arm Sophie into finally moving to Nevada with them. Initially, I thought that Sophie didn't want to leave because Aiden was still here, although serving time behind bars. Either way, I didn't want her or Ronan to leave Seattle, so it didn't matter what her reasoning was for staying. But _no_ …it was apparently _never_ about Aiden."

I struggle to breathe after I hear the words. Suddenly, I feel like _we_ –the two mothers of star-crossed lovers – are on the exact same wavelength. It's both eerie and comforting.

"She was afraid that Teddy would find out…yet she stayed here anyway," I muse out loud. "She truly loved him. She was somehow waiting for him to come back to her."

My own words practically make my eyes water. What a beautiful yet tragic love story. It's hard to believe that I'm speaking of two living, breathing human beings – my very son and his longtime lover – and not some tragic figures in a classic novel written by one of the Bronte sisters.

Shannon nods in absolute agreement. "And now her worst fears are realized. He won't even give her the time of day. She's absolutely devastated."

 _Oh no._  
My heart aches at the brutal reminder.  
"I apologize for my son's behavior," I say with the utmost regret.

Shannon laughs and then shakes her head. "I don't blame him one bit for being pissed at Sophie. If I were in Ted's shoes, I'd react the very same way."

We continue to go back and forth about our children. We then shift into some upbeat conversation about Ronan. I tell her how well his introduction to his grandfathers, his aunts, and his bonus-grandmother, Gail went. I told her all about how much Christian and Taylor spoiled him. She was very humored by that.

That long overdue coffee meeting with Shannon turned out to be one of the best things that I've done in quite a while.

….

"Ana?"

I'm taken by surprise when I hear Andrea's voice through my office speaker instead of Lola's.

"Andrea?"

"I have someone on the line for you," she says in a voice that poorly masks her enthusiasm.

 _I wonder who it is._ I idly wonder if it's Sophie calling with Ronan on the phone. I smile and don't ask any questions. "Put them through," I respond.

I hear a click and answer right away. "Hello – Ana Grey speaking."

"Well, hello Mrs. Grey."

My eyes squint in confusion as I try very hard to place the out-of-place female voice over the intercom.

"Um…hi…"

"You have no idea who this is, do you?" she snickers. And when I hear that string of words along with that infamous laugh, I immediately know exactly who it is.

"Lacy!" It's my longtime friend and former personal assistant who currently lives in Chicago, formerly known as Lacy Stevens – _now_ Lacy Stevens-Lund.

"Hi beautiful. How goes it?" she asks.

"Hey beautiful, yourself. I'm doing great. How's Vic and the kids?"

"Fantastic. Guess where we are?"

I ponder. "New York?"

"Guess again."

I gasp. "Here? _Seattle_?"

"Mm hmm."

" _What?_ Why didn't you tell me?" I scold.

"I'm telling you now," she laughs. "Vic and I decided on a whim to take Emmy out of school for three days and surprise my mother. Mace came along, too."

Lacy's son Mason is a recent graduate of the University of Chicago, while her daughter Emmalyn is a junior in high school.

"How cool is that!" I gush.

"We just got in today and my mom was over the moon."

"I bet she was," I laugh.

"So if you don't mind, we plan on crashing your Sunday dinner. We leave back for Chicago first thing Monday morning," she says.

"Lace – you don't even have to ask. We'd be absolutely thrilled to have you," I insist.

" _Yay_! I can't _wait_ to see you," she squeals.

A little more small talk ensues, but I don't bother to tell her that she is going to be meeting my grandson Sunday evening. Yes, Ronan and Teddy will also be there for Sunday dinner.

Should make for an interesting night.

* * *

 _Ted_

I turn over the locked phone on my desk to check the time.

 _Shit, it's already after 6:30._

I'm grateful for being able to finally tune out all the background noise in my head and focus solely on work – but it wasn't without the ever-present radiating nauseating feeling in my gut.

That disastrous evening with Ronan at the apartment two nights ago replays in my mind in sporadic clips. When I heard that things went differently with Ronan at my folks' house, I felt mixed. I'm glad that my father and Taylor are accepting of him, yet I'm torn because I have yet to bond with him in any way like they have.

 _"Toys are a way to a man's heart. You know this."_

My father spoke this aphorism to me earlier in the day. He's been surprisingly quiet since word got to him about me fathering Sophie Taylor's child. Perhaps he's made up in his mind that there's nothing that he can say or do that will change anything.

Ronan is here. My son's been here for _years_ and I've just recently found out about it.

And I can't see his mother's face in my mind without tensing up. It's a combination of anger and hurt. You think you know someone – yet when they show you a totally different side of them, it's disheartening.

 _I'm never going to trust another woman outside of my family ever again._

Based on the lack of sound outside of my door other than the whispering air piping through the vents, I'm the only one present on my floor. Even the cleaning staff hasn't made it up here. I reach the point of being idle, so I decide to pack up – but I'm in no mood to go home afterwards.

Twenty minutes later, I'm tugging the door open to the bar and take a deep sigh of relief when I see Jo working. She spots me right away and smirks, but it quickly dissolves once she realizes how miserable I am.

I take a seat in the middle two empty stools, and Jo gets right to work on my usual order. A couple minutes later, she's sliding my Old Fashioned on a square napkin in front of me. Wearing a tight Seahawks white tee and pained on jeans, she leans her petite figure against the counter and arrests me with her stare. I take a drink to brace myself for whatever flies out of her mouth.

"So, what's your deal now, Grey? You look like shit."

I chuckle. "Thanks Jo. Nice to see you."

"I'm serious. I haven't seen you in a few weeks, then you come in here looking like a lost puppy," she chastises.

I swallow, contemplating how to even begin. "There's some drama that I'm trying to sort through."

"Work or personal?"

"Personal."

Her eyes widen in surprise. "Is it an issue with the _new ol' lady_?"

I close my eyes, pained at the very thought of Sophie. "Yeah. And it's rather serious."

She sighs out loud. "Damn…why do these chicks keep fucking up, Ted? Why can't they just act right?"

I echo her sigh. "I don't know." I take another large gulp of my drink. "I'm actually thinking about swearing off all women."

Her head shifts back in a reaction. "For men?" she chuckles.

I frown. "Hell no – not that there's anything wrong with that. But not my scene."

"Good – because men are _much worse_ ," Jo quips.

"I'm swearing off relationships altogether. Too many fucking secrets. I just don't work that way, Jo," I pour out to her.

"And I get that," she says empathetically. "But just so you know, there are girls out there that don't like to fuck around with secrets, either. That aside, you really seemed happy with _New Ol' Lady_. Whatever she did, I hope it can be fixed."

And I know that she truly means what she says by the earnest expression on her face. She's never met Sophie, but she saw the man that I was when I was still in the bubble she put me in. But now that the bubble's busted, I'm uncertain about _everything_. I don't know what is real or what is fake. Everything's a blur.

I shake my head in response. "I sincerely doubt that."  
There's no fixing Sophie and I.

"Hell – what did she do? Is it worse than what Diana did?"

I nod.

She looks mortified. "Holy shit. Then I've gotta know." She leans into me to ensure the utmost privacy – as much as you can have at a public bar, anyway. With her thumb and forefinger, she glides them across her lips in a zippering gesture, assuring confidentiality.

I sigh once more, but after a few beats of contemplation, I pull my phone from my pocket. I launch the photo icon and zip through until I find the picture of Ronan sitting by the fireplace. I show it to her.

"How adorable," she swoons. "A baby picture of you?" She can't take her eyes off of it.

"That picture was taken this week." Jo's eyes immediately come up and she's dumbfounded. "By _me_ ," I add."

"Holy fucking shit," she exhales.

"It's my son. A son that she never told me about," I murmur with no emotion. But inside of me, it's the total opposite. I'm crumbling all over again.

Jo repeatedly shakes her head in sheer disbelief. "How old?"

"Three going on four."

"Fuck," she winces.

"Yeah."

Suddenly, Jo turns on her heel and heads behind her to the top-shelf liquor selection. She returns with a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses. I gape at her. Ignoring me, she smoothly pours into the two glasses with a short flick of the wrist. She slides one over to me and lifts hers up in my direction.

"It's on me. You down, T?"

I smile and laugh before giving in. I lift my shot glass up to her. She proposes a toast.

"To drowning the past and embracing the future. And fuck secrets."

"Here, here," I say before we clank glasses and down the contents.

* * *

 _Friday, March 28, 2036_

"Did you want macaroni with cheese, or do you want me to make you chicken tenders?"

Ronan and I are in the kitchen Friday night. His drawing kit practically takes up the entire breakfast bar.

"Macaroni."

I wince. _He's finally speaking to me._

"Very well."

I'm rather surprised that he wants it considering that he hardly touched it when he was here Tuesday. _Although he did have a change of heart after I seemingly left him alone._ The very thought still stings even today.

I pull the plastic casserole from the freezer and scoop out two frozen blocks into a plate before placing it into the microwave for about a minute.

"What's that you're working on?" I ask while leaning over his shoulder. _Hell, this is impressive_ – I think to myself. A midnight sky with traces of radiating light. It's a galactic masterpiece. I'm truly amazed that someone under four could do this.

I couldn't even draw a straight line at age four.

"Stars at night," he says.

"I see that," I smile at him. "It's awesome."

"Thank you," he says quietly before he returns to his task.

To my surprise, Ronan finishes his meal and all of his apple juice before resuming his drawing. I'm so glad that Sophie sent all of this with him this time around. I've got quite a few toys coming in over the next few days for him that'll stay here at the penthouse. I hope that this is a step in the right direction.

"Did you want more?" I ask as I look at him to clear his plate away.

"No. Thank you."

I smile. _How polite._

"Do you know you ABC's?" I ask as I approach the dishwasher.

"Yes."

"Can you say them to me?"

And he does…without looking up from his drawing. I'm astounded.

"You are so smart, Ronan," I praise, ruffling up his hair once I'm near him again.

Five minutes later, I watch from a few feet away as he carefully tears the page from his drawing book. When he's done, he shuts the book and begins to put his crayons away inside of the portable plastic bin. I'm astounded.

 _And the kid cleans up after himself, too._

"Your mom is going to love that," I say, pointing to the now loose drawing.

And then he does something that completely rocks my world.

Holding the sheet out to me, he says, "It's for you."

* * *

 _Saturday, March 29, 2036_

"It's blue, silly," Ronan giggles.

" _Really_?" I say in exaggeration. "I thought the night sky was black."

I begin tickling him on the sofa in the great room, and he's in hysterics. A short time ago, he and I were out on the balcony testing out the brand new telescope that I bought just from him.

" _No_ ," he squeals. "The sky is _blue_. The night makes it look like black."

" _Oh_?" I say with wide eyes. "You're just way too smart for me, Ronan."

He laughs again and I can't help it. I hug him and he doesn't push me away. What a difference three days, a drawing book, and a telescope makes.

"Did you want to watch _The Incredibles_?" I ask.

He nods enthusiastically and I reach across the coffee table to retrieve my phone to operate the television nearby. I've recently put one just above the fireplace so that I could keep an eye on Ronan while doing odds and ends around the kitchen.

"Daddy, can I use the bathroom?"

I turn to him with eyes squinting, but still wearing a warm smile. "You never have to ask for permission when you're over here… _okay_?" He nods in understanding. "Do you need me to show you where it is again?" He shakes his head and happily bounces down from the couch and scurries over in the right direction.

Then it finally hits me.

 _He just called me_ _ **Daddy**_ _._

And it's too late. The tears already start to fall.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Happy Freed Friday everyone! Anyone check out the movie today? I saw it last night and I LOVED IT!_**

 ** _Before I talk about what's up next I ask that you please excuse all errors. I wanted to get this update out ASAP. I'll do another once-over tomorrow and continue to make corrections later. It absolutely sucks not having a beta reader, haha!_**

 ** _So here's what's planned for chapter 28 – The final sentence of last chapter's preview will now take place in the next chapter. It just would've been entirely too long to fit everything all into this chapter._**

 ** _Ted has another breakthrough with Ronan, then more antics with Monty. Christian will finally have that long awaited heart to heart with his eldest son._**

 ** _Lastly, Sophie gets shook. TWICE. I've already written those scenes and can't wait to share them with you. And if all goes well, you might see the next update in the next couple of days since I'm a week behind._**

 ** _Thanks for reading! - ST2_**

 ** _PS: I previously addressed a question that someone on my Facebook page had regarding how Topher's handling the new cutie of the family taking away all of the attention from him. I had to move that part into the next chapter as well. But rest assured that Mr. Topher Grey will be A-Okay. :)_**


	28. Chapter 28 - Empire Builder

**Chapter 28 – Empire Builder**

 _Sunday, March 30, 2036_

 _Ana_

The abounding sense of emotion that one experiences once an empty space within gets filled is indescribable.

As a teen and young adult, I didn't allow myself to feel much. That's where my love of books came in. That's where my love for my parents and friends sufficed. When I graduated from college, my only concern was to find a job to tide me over until I was able to land the dream editing job that I so desperately wanted. I wasn't looking for love. Falling in love was the absolute last thing on my mind.

Instead, love found me.

I wasn't looking for Christian. Christian wasn't looking for me. But we somehow found each other in the midst of us attempting to flood our ongoing thoughts with work – him with GEH, and me with my publishing aspirations. But once our worlds collided, we were all the other could see. Nothing else really mattered.

There was a point during our journey when he and I had to accept that what we felt between us was in fact _love_. Once that happened, I was back on my quest of finding out who _I_ was. I would soon leave GEH and go over to Emerald City Publishing only to find that my true calling was back at GEH. And when I returned to GEH, everything just… _clicked_.

Not soon after Christian and I were married, I discovered that I was pregnant with our first child. I wasn't quite ready for children, and Christian made it known that he wasn't ready _at all_. It wasn't until our son was born that we realized we had a Teddy-shaped space in our hearts. We absolutely lavished in being that sweet little boy's parents.

Next came Phoebe…followed by the twins. And for the longest time, I didn't think that life could get any better. My joy seemed to have overflowed. I had the perfect husband and the perfect family.

Then I turned forty.

My body was changing. When your physical health is on the line, you start to see life in a whole new way. And when I and everyone else least expected it, we were blessed by the coming of Mr. Topher Grey. My life was officially complete.

So I thought.

My hysterectomy came next and I was miserable for the longest time. Even after my hormone levels were evened out with the aid of supplements, there was still something not quite right within. And I was angry with myself for the longest time because I didn't believe that I had the right to remotely feel this way.

 _Look at your life, Ana. You have everything.  
Why are you so ungrateful?_

But I wasn't ungrateful.

That untold emptiness that I once felt before meeting my husband had returned. It was as if the universe was subliminally speaking to me. There was a part of me existing that I had no inkling about. It wasn't until I truly gazed into Ronan's blue eyes that everything fell into place.

Today, I can confidently declare that I am whole.

 _I am full._

My only remaining desire is for all of my children to feel the same way as I do.

 _Now – how to bring Teddy and Sophie back together again…_

….

"Oh my gosh… _Ana_ ," Lacy sighs in my arms the second she and her family arrive at the house.

"You look wonderful," I say once we pull apart, my hands on her forearms as I continue to take her in. I've missed her dearly.

Although she's been gone from Seattle for many years, we never lost touch. Along with Kate, Lacy Stevens has always been a constant for me. But after my surgery and during my quest to discover Ronan's true paternity, I admit that I wasn't as diligent in keeping up with one of my oldest and dearest friends.

"And you're a total knockout, Mrs. Grey. No surprise," she beams. I hug Vic followed by Emmy and Mason before gushing over how the latter two have grown since the last time we met.

The twins appear in the great room and Lacy loses it. She hadn't seen them since they were in middle school – they were both in summer camp the last couple of times that she was in town. Lacy hugs both Brie and Beth at once, and then goes on and on about how grown and gorgeous they both look. When the twins split in two separate directions leaving a gap right down the center, she spies Topher.

"And you must be Mr. Topher Grey," Lacy grins lovingly. "I've heard _so_ much about you."

"Hi. Who are you?" Topher asks nonchalantly. Laughter erupts.

"Topher honey, this is Mommy's very good friend, Ms. Lacy. And this is her husband, Mr. Victor and their two children – Mason and Emmy."

"I used to work with your Mommy and Daddy," Lacy says as she tousles his hair. It's an instinctive thing to want to touch Topher's thick, gorgeous mane. Just wait until she sees Ronan. Both boys have such soft, fluffy hair that's irresistible to touch.

"At Grey House?" he says in the cutest little squeaky voice.

"Mm hmm. Your Mommy was my boss."

I roll my eyes at the thought. I've never considered Lacy and I having an employee/employer relationship. I always saw her as a dear friend and teammate. And she was very difficult to replace when she decided to leave to become a full-time housewife and stay-at-home mother to her little boy. Her husband would later take a job in Chicago, where they've been ever since.

"I'm going to be the big boss at Grey House when I grow up," Topher declares.

"Oh geez," Brie sighs with a smile, while Beth snorts. I then catch Vic, Mason and Emmy chuckling.

Lacy laughs. "I've only just met you, Mr. Topher – and I totally believe that you will. You'll make a great _big boss_ someday," she says, touching his hair once more.

….

Lacy is helping me out in the kitchen while Vic and the kids are scattered throughout the grounds. Christian's been glued to his study since after brunch, so I'm unsure if he's had a chance to greet Vic and the kids.

"I can't wait to see Teddy and Phoebe. They're coming later, right?" Lacy inquires while I'm at the sink rinsing out the garden fresh mixed vegetables in the colander.

I nod. "Phoebe's bringing Hanson."

She takes a pause, but as soon as a thought hits her, her smile is replaced by shock. "My God…I totally forgot about Teddy's broken engagement," she gasps, pained. "How's he doing?"

I take in a deep breath before turning away from the sink and right to her as she stands at the stove stirring the bolognaise. Before I can come clean about the big news, Emmy and Topher enter the kitchen.

I'm taken by surprise when I look down and see the sixteen-year-old light-brown haired beauty holding hands with my rambunctious _almost-four-year-old_. Topher's not one to hold hands with anyone. He normally only does so out of obligation whenever we're out in public. Until now, holding hands was just a safety mandate for him.

"Sorry, he wanted juice," Emmy says apologetically.

"In the fridge?" Lacy asks, looking to me.

"No juice, Topher. You had plenty earlier. You may have water," I say to my son firmly, but with love.

He groans. " _O_ -kay."

When I turn to fetch a glass, Emmy stops me. "I'll get it," she offers. I'm amused by how the two have become fast friends. As Emmy fetches him a drink, Lacy decides to engage him. However, my little guy speaks first.

"The new bedroom is almost done," he says, as if she's to know what he's referring to. I cringe on the inside, knowing well and good what's coming next. And to think, I was just seconds away of telling her myself.

Lacy bends her knees and zooms into his big bright eyes. "You're getting a brand new room?"

"No…the room's for my best friend. _Roe-nann_ ," he says carefully. I withhold a chuckle. "Topher Grey is _Roe-nann_ 's uncle," he adds.

He has officially lost Lacy. Her brow furrows and then she turns her gaze from Topher and brings it to me. It's as if she's waiting for me to correct my preschooler. Instead, I give her a tight-lipped smile. After a few beats, Lacy's jaw drops.

"You have a grandchild?" she gasps.

I smile wide and nod.

"So," I start. "We recently found out that Teddy's a father. His son absolutely beautiful and such a joy," I rave.

Emmy holds up the plastic cup of water and Topher's immediately at her side, leaving Lacy and me to talk alone.

The wooden spoon in Lacy's hand nearly crashes to the floor, but she catches it just in time. "Teddy has a son?" she says, astounded. I nod "How old is he?"

"Four. Just two months older than Topher."

"Ana," she frowns. "Why…what… _when_?" She's at a total loss for words. Understandably.

"It's a long story. Perhaps I'll tell you all about it over coffee after dinner. You'll meet the sweet bug tonight."

"Gosh, Ana. Is everything okay? I mean – I see that you're elated, but you've obviously missed a couple of years of his life," Lacy says, concerned.

"Things happen," I say with understanding. "We can't change the past. All we can do is love that boy with our whole hearts right now. And the great thing about it is that it's so damn easy."

Lacy flashes me a heartfelt grin. "So who's his mother?"

"Sophie Taylor."

Her eyes squint in response and she tilts her head upward. "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

"She used to babysit the girls."

When her head comes back down, her eyes are practically bulging.  
" _Nooo_. Taylor's daughter?" I nod. "The drop dead gorgeous blonde?" I nod again.

"Holy shit," she chuckles. "Those Grey boys don't play around when it comes to racking up the hotties." I laugh.

….

We're all gathered at the dining room table enjoying dinner. Lacy's daughter Emmy is seated next to Beth. In between Brie and Beth is Ronan. They insisted that their nephew sit with them. This spot is normally reserved for Topher when he's not sitting next to me. And believe it or not, Topher hasn't so much as blinked at the new seating arrangement. I'm sure it has everything to do with Emmy sitting right next to him. They've been nearly inseparable all day.

I'm seated next to Christian who's at the end of the table. I'm usually at the other end of the table whenever we have guests, but I decided that I wanted to sit closer to my husband for a change. Lacy and Vic are seated directly to my right. Next to Vic are Mason, Teddy, Hanson and Phoebe – in that order.

I look across the table and catch Topher struggling to make a muscle pop out of his bicep for Emmy. She beams wide as she squeezes his adorable attempt, causing his tiny chest to poke out. Beth witnesses it and rolls her eyes with a smirk. Christian leans over to me.

"It appears that both our sons have a taste for older women," he murmurs.

I look him square in the eye. "Yeah, I wonder where they got it from." And I can't help it as I fight off a smile.

He smirks back. "Touché, Mrs. Grey. But eventually I came to my senses and started chasing a certain younger woman in particular."

"That, you did," I beam. His lips lightly pucker and he blows me a secret kiss.

* * *

 _Ted_

"Mom and Dad need to stop being gross in public," I hear Phoebe joke as the corner of my eye catches her shadow leaning over Hanson.

She's obviously relaying her remark to me more so than Hanson. However, my focus has been glued on Ronan who's seated on the other side of the table. I watch the twins continue to make a fuss over him, and I can't stop smiling. It's refreshing to see how easily he fell into place in this family.

"How's fatherhood treating you?" Hanson asks discreetly.

My eyes finally peel away from across the table and shift over to Hanson and Phoebe. "I don't know yet. Ask me again in six months," I say with a partial smile.

"Ronan's _your_ son?"

The male voice next to me is startling. I turn to my left and then nod at Mason.

Mace and I haven't seen each other in many years. I believe he was still in high school the last time we saw each other. Now he's a recent graduate from the University of Chicago. He's a quiet six foot, two inch slender guy. He's still donning a plaid shirt and khaki slacks from attending Sunday Mass earlier.

"Wow, I didn't know you were a dad," he says.

"Neither did _he_ ," Hanson quips through me.

"Wait," Mason gapes. "So his mother kept his paternity a secret from you?"

I sigh jaggedly. "Long story." I immediately change the subject. "So Mace, what have you been up to since graduation?"

He swallows, adjusting to the abrupt switch. "Well…I manage several major accounts at a big investment company. I worked there as an intern for about three years. Then after graduation, they hired me on full-time and I quickly moved through the ranks."

"Impressive," I nod.

I knew that he was up to great things. Whenever Mom would bring up Lacy, I'd ask how Mason and Emmy were doing and she would fill me in. Back when Mason used to stop by the house with his mom – his little sister would come along much later, he and I hung out.

Our moms called it a _'play date'_ , but ultimately it was an excuse to get the kids out of their hair for just a few hours while the two hard-working women drank mimosas and catch up with one another. But Mason and I didn't mind it. I was just two years older, so we had many things in common. I only wished that we were able to hang out more.

Mason also knew of Sophie. I'm quite sure he'll be more shocked by the news of her being Ronan's mother. Let's just say that there weren't too many guys my age that stopped by the house and saw Sophie babysitting my sisters who didn't do a double take. Mace was no exception.

 _"I wished my sitter looked like her"_ – he said on one occasion. I still remember it as if it were yesterday. His tongue literally rolled out of his mouth like a celebrity red carpet.

 _Back then nobody knew that Sophie and I would make out or fuck whenever and wherever we could. I couldn't keep my hands off of her._

The very memory is painful, but I'm reprieved when Mason continues talking.

"But it's not the end all, be all for me. The company I work for is already well established. What I really want is to help launch a firm from its conception. You know…help start it and watch it grow. That would be most fulfilling for me," he muses.

What he says is quite unexpected. My interest is piqued.

" _Really_?" My mouth begins to twitch, but I reserve my smile until I know for certain that he and I are on the same page.

He nods. "I don't necessarily desire to be the mastermind of the operation. I want to be one of the players behind the curtain that helps make things happen."

A spark ignites within. It's one of those life-affirming moments when you know beyond the shadow of doubt that the thing that you've been dreaming of is probably meant to be.

"Hey," I say, shuffling my chair closer to his. I lean in. "Let's talk. I have some ideas that I would like to run by you," I murmur.

"Sure. What are you thinking about?" Mason replies. "Is it GEH related?"

" _Oh no_ ," I exhale with wide eyes and a lingering smirk. "Between you and me, I have something of my own cooking. And if what I'm doing is of interest, you might want to grab an apron."

He's more than intrigued. I have his full-undivided attention, but he'll have to wait until after dinner in order to hear the rest.

Mace has always had a great head on his shoulders. He's all about business and doesn't have time for bullshit. Therefore, he and I would particularly make a great team for what I have in mind. And it would also be ideal to have bi-coastal coverage to start, with him being located in Chicago and me in Seattle.

As time moves on, my brain continues to churn. And by the end of the night, Mason is just as excited as I am for my vision and very eager to get involved.

We arrange to have a follow-up conference call this coming Tuesday.

* * *

 _Saturday, June 7, 2036_

 _(Two Months Later)_

Over a month ago, I asked Ronan what he wanted for his birthday.

I can imagine it being quite odd for a three or four year old to go from not having much, to not wanting for anything. Between my parents, Taylor and me, we've bought Ronan every single art gadget and every new nifty age appropriate science-related kit known to man. And anything that doesn't yet exist that he's asked for is currently being tested in the tech lab at Grey House.

So for Ronan's birthday, I had to be especially creative. The present that I had in mind was a bit complicated. In fact, it was so much so, that it wasn't ready in time for his big birthday bash last Saturday at my folks' place – which so happened to fall on his actual birthday.

I wasn't a bit surprised when Sophie bailed our son's party. Mom and Ms. Gail were very disappointed, but I on the other hand couldn't have cared less. Even now, Sophie Taylor remains a sore spot for me. She apparently decided to work that Saturday and take Sunday off instead. And although Ronan had the time of his life, I could still tell that he wished very much that his mother were in attendance.

Classic Sophie – only caring about her own fragile emotions and what people may or may not be saying about her, and not giving a damn about our son.

That's what this whole thing's about. I still call _bullshit_ on her belief that her actions from four years ago stemmed from her desire to protect me. Once you bring a fucking child into the picture, it's no longer about me; it's no longer about _you_.

And to this day, Sophie _still_ doesn't get it.

Awkwardness be damned, she should've been there at Ronan's birthday party – _regardless_. Granted, Ronan did tell me that he and his mom did celebrate his birthday together the next day, but still. It doesn't excuse her for not arranging to have the day off when my mother told her _months_ in advance what she was planning on doing for Ronan.

Hell, her mother Shannon even showed up. Things were very awkward between her and Mr. Taylor, yet it didn't stop her from smiling all day at the joy and elation permanently plastered on her grandson's face. Ronan was showered with so much love and gifts. He can't stop talking about his party.

 _Yeah, I'm sick of Sophie's lame excuses.  
I no longer have the time for them._

I walk up to the breakfast bar in the apartment and pick up the flat yellow business envelope. I unravel the red rope from the spools.

"Hey Ronan!" I call out. In five seconds flat, he scurries into the kitchen.

"I have something to show you," I smile at him as I slide the paper out.

"What is it?" he says, curiosity peeked.

I place the document on top of the envelope and kneel down so that he can see. I then place a finger on the _'Name of Child – First Name'_ field. "What does that say?" I ask him.

"Ronan," he says with the utmost confidence.

"And this?" I say, pointing to the next field.

"Taylor."

"Last one," I say, pointing to the _'Last Name'_ field.

He stares at it hard at first, and then blinks.

"Grey?"

I nod, proudly. "Ronan Taylor Grey – son of Sophie Taylor and Theodore Raymond Grey," I declare. "It's official."

"My last name is _Grey_ now?" he asks, unsure.

I nod like I've never been so sure of anything else in my entire life. "Yep."

"Grey? Like you?"

I nod again. "Mm hmm. Like Grandma Ana, like Grandpa Christian. Like Topher."

"Like Brie and Beth?" he says cheerfully.

"Like Brie and Beth," I beam.

"Yay!" he cheers. "I'm going to write _Ronan Grey_ on my drawings now. _G-R-E-Y_ ," he chirps. And without missing another beat, he spins off and scurries back into his room – where I'm sure he was already working on his next masterpiece.

Indeed, I have _Ronan Taylor_ originals plastered all over my study and framed in my office at Grey House. I'm looking forward to bringing brand new _Ronan Grey_ -signed artwork into the fold.

There's no hiding that correcting Ronan's birth certificate to include my name, and changing Ronan's last name was more of a present for me than it was for him. His eagerness to embrace his true name was certainly icing on the cake.

During that whole process, one of my lawyers advised that I also file for joint custody. I remember getting a sick feeling when he brought it up.

 _"Do I have to do that?" I asked.  
"We already have a smooth visitation arrangement as it is."_

 _"I understand. However I've seen many things in my line of work. Something as simple as you having a new girlfriend could set the ex off. Look – if I were you, I'd be pro-active. You need a safety net in case she decides to use your son as a pawn."_

 _She'd never do that_ – I thought.

But never could I have imagined that Sophie would even dare to keep the existence of my son away from me for four years. So now when it comes to my son, my new motto is – _Better safe than sorry._

So I filed the paperwork for joint custody. It's only putting to paper what's already taking place.

 _No harm, no foul. Right?_

….

I'm cleaning up after lunch when my cell phone begins buzzing in my sweatpants pocket. I retrieve it and roll my eyes when I see Monty's name on the screen. Reluctant, I answer it.

"Yo, Monty."

"Señor Grey! Are you home right now?"

Shit. "I am, but I'm kinda busy," I sigh.

"Dude, I'm right outside of your building. Can you buzz me in?"

 _Of course he is._ My annoyance reaches a fever pitch in seconds flat.

"Oh," he adds, "and I have someone with me who I'd like you to meet. It's my lady friend." He says it in a voice that sounds way too proud.

 _Great, Monty wants to bring one of his skanks up to my place while my son's here. Wonderful._

Suddenly, my brain clicks. "This isn't the same one who you met catering that corporate party, is it? The ' _Fine Bi…'_." I quickly stop myself from uttering the profane word out loud. I still can't get over that teddy bear wearing that crazy ass t-shirt.

 _Shit Grey, you must watch your language now._

"That's the one," he says too eagerly. "Laurie – say _hi_ to my homeboy Ted," he says to someone in the background. I then hear a laughing female voice.

" _Hi_ Ted!"

"Doesn't she sound beautiful? And I have you to thank, my friend for helping me get her back. Don't you want to meet her? Be a good boy and let us up."

Fuck.  
I take two deep calculated breaths.

Leave it up to Monty to _pull a Monty_ and crash in on me while my son's here, but fuck it – my secret can't remain a secret. Yes, I've prolonged telling him and some of my other friends that I'm a father. But now that it's in writing and my name is on Ronan's birth certificate, maybe it would be best to tell him now.

Soon afterwards, Monty and his lady friend exit the elevator into the penthouse with my security escort. My old friend is wearing a leather jacket with jeans and a gray t-shirt. His lady friend has a fiery bob and dons painted on jeans and a beige studded jacket.

Monty and I greet each other with a half-hug, a hand slap, and a finger snap.

"This is Laurie," he introduces. "Laurie, meet the legend. Ted Grey."

I smirk, but withhold my eye roll as I shake her hand. I then turn to Monty, gaping at him with wide eyes before mouthing out to him _'Good job, buddy'_. He beams in response.

I lead the two into the apartment and they peep Ronan drawing by the fireplace. My son looks up at the three of us. Monty's stunned.

" _Not_ Topher," he murmurs.

"No," I reply. "Ronan buddy, can you come here for a quick second?"

My son quickly rises. When he approaches, I lower myself closer to his level.

"This is my good friend Monty and his friend Laurie," I introduce.

"Hi," Ronan says quietly to the two of them.

Laurie kneels. "Hi there, sweetie. _Aww_ …he's so cute. Hi there little guy!" She then turns up and looks at me with a broad smile. "He looks _just like_ you."

Monty abruptly turns his head and looks at me, gaping.

"Monty, Laurie…meet my son, Ronan," I drop the bomb.

"What?" Monty gasps. "Are you _shi_ …?"

I cut him off with a hand raise before he slips and Laurie scolds him with her cutting glare.

"Um, we need to talk. _Now_ ," Monty says to me with a stunned expression.

"I can stay here with Ronan," Laurie offers. "I have nieces and nephews his age that I watch all the time."

I sigh and then thank Laurie.

"I'll be right back, Ronan. I'm going to my office," I tell him.

"Okay," he says, looking up briefly before running back to focus on his drawing. Laurie pops a squat by his side.

….

In my study, I give Monty the low-down. We stand the entire time.

"My God – you knocked up the super hot blonde babysitter," he says for the fourth time, still in wide disbelief. "So what's up now? Are you two good?"

"No," I say bitterly. "She lied and kept my son away from me for four years."

Monty appears to be contemplating. After a few beats of silence, he finally says, "But I can understand why she would."

I can feel the blood in my veins getting warmer. " _What_! No fucking way. There was no reason for her to put our son through any of that."

"She knew how high strung your father was. Now tell the truth – Christian Grey would've completely lost his shit if he found out that his nineteen year old son impregnated the babysitter. Not just _any_ babysitter, but the daughter of his longtime employee," he argues.

"I don't care," I snap. "She had _no_ _right_ to keep him from me."

Monty holds out his hands in placation. "Dude, I get it. I get why you're so pissed. But at the same time, I get why she did what she did. Look…I don't know her, but I understand. You have to walk in the shoes of the _have-nots_ in order to see it."

I'm furious. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

He holds out his hands to try to calm me down once again, but it only pisses me off more. "I didn't mean that to be malicious. I'm just saying that you've always had shit. You grew up not wanting for nothing. People like Sophie and me weren't always so lucky."

I am seething. "My father has paid her father and stepmother very well for many, _many_ years. He's also paid for Sophie to attend private school. So that's bullshit."

"And what would've happened the moment your father discovered that you ran off with the babysitter to start a family? What would've happened to Sophie's dad? Once again, Mr. Taylor walks among the _have-nots_. Imagine that burden on Sophie's shoulders."

For the first time, I'm considering the notion of Sophie protecting everyone – the livelihood of her father and my relationship with my parents. Still, it doesn't ache any less. For the four years my son's been alive, I've only been in his presence during these last three months.

* * *

 _Monday, June 9, 2036_

 _Sophie_

I hold the document away to ensure that I don't get any tears on it.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Ronan asks as he approaches me in the kitchen.

I drop down to my knees and hug him tight.

"I'm so sorry, honey. I kept you from your real daddy."

"It's okay, Mommy. I forgive you." He kisses me on the cheek and I nearly lose it.

"Your last name isn't Glenn anymore," I say, holding out the document before him. "This says that your name is now _Ronan Taylor Grey_. _See_? And here's your real Daddy's name – _Theodore Raymond Grey_."

"I know," he simply replies. "I thought my daddy's name was _Ted_."

I chuckle. "Theodore is his full name. Just like _Christopher_ is Topher's full name."

"Really? _Christopher_?" he says with a scrunched nose.

I nod. "Yeah, but your uncle Topher hates that name, so never call him that. Unless he makes you mad, of course," I snort.

"Theee-dore," he tries to recite his father's given name from memory.

"Thee-o-dore," I sound out.

"Thee…Thee-o-dore. Theodore."

"That's it, sweetie," I say before hugging him and kissing his cheek.

Suddenly, a knock on the door startles me.

I quickly stand to my feet and check the peephole. It's some woman I don't know, in a tan long trench coat and hat. She reminds me of Carmen Sandiego, a character in a computer game that I used to play back when I was little.

 _How did she get in? Who buzzed her in?  
_ I crack the door open.

"Yes?"

"Hi – Sophie Taylor?" she says in a kind voice.

I nod. "How can I help you?"

She quickly hands me a thick manila envelope.

"For you. You've been served."

* * *

 _Ted_

I study the amended birth certificate in the pile of paperwork sitting on my desk at Grey House. Looking at it two days later, it's still feels like a big weight lifted off of my shoulders.

And things are also going well with the inception of my business. I'm making plans to fly out to Chicago later in the month to set some things in motion with Mason. We have more than enough capital to get things rolling for the new business. And if all goes well with the Chicago trip, I plan on having a talk with my father about me leaving GEH and transitioning Phoebe into my role there.

 _I wonder how that conversation will go._

Ironically, I head out of my office and up one flight of stairs to meet with my father to discuss GEH business. It's a meeting that he just threw on my calendar two hours ago. I have a feeling that he only wants an update on the wellness app that's set for beta testing next week.

I greet Andrea and Lola before approaching my father's office door and pulling it open. When my eyes land on him, he's rounding his desk with a navy leather binder tucked into his arm. I close the door and he stands by the sofa opposite his desk, gesturing me to sit right next to him. I'm taken aback that he wants to do this meeting side by side.

"Hey, is this a PTF update meeting?" I say as we are both seated.

"No. This isn't work related," he says plainly.

My heart nearly stops.  
 _What is this, then?_

My father lays the binder across his lap and begins to flip slowly through the pages. As I lean in to view it, I see what looks like architectural sketches from long ago. I have no idea what exactly I'm looking at. As he flips over to one page, I catch what looks like a bed off to the side. I notice a chesterfield sofa in another sketch. I then make out several tall chests of drawers, as well as display cabinets built into the walls.

 _Why is he showing me this?_

 _Are those brackets hanging down from the ceiling?  
Wait…that looks like a St. Andrew's cross…_

Suddenly, my brain finally puts the pieces together. My eyes and mouth are as round as saucers.

"Is that a sex room?" I gasp. My father closes his eyes and nods. My stomach drops. "A sex room? _Really?_ Where?"

"Escala," he says, flipping over to the next page to display yet another sketch. "My old playroom. This is how the room was built after I bought the penthouse. Years later – that room would be converted into your mother's study."

 _Holy shit._

The room that used to be Mom's study…the room that would later become Diana's study was a sex dungeon?

He drops another bomb. "I was first introduced to the BDSM lifestyle by a close female friend of your grandmother, Grace."

I gape at him. "How old were you?"

"Fifteen."

I'm stupefied.

 _My father was into BDSM?!  
Introduced by a friend of my grandmother's at the age of fifteen?! _

Never in a million years would I have even imagined my father – the perfect, straight-laced upstanding citizen engaged in a lifestyle that would no doubt be deemed as sexually deviant by his upper-crust peers. And he started at fifteen?

 _Shit, is he still doing this?  
Is my mother involved?! _

No, I don't fucking want to know.  
Brain bleach now, please.

As my father catapults into all of the down and dirty details about how he was literally tied up with this older woman from age fifteen until twenty-one, I realize that I've never really knew my father at all.

I've always assumed that he was so strict with me because he didn't want me to ever take anything for granted. He was a four-year-old child when he watched his drugged-out birth mother die right before his very eyes, but then an angel named Grace later rescued him.

But no, it was much more deeper than that.

"I needed to make certain that none of my children ended up like me. I never wanted any of you to endure what I had to endure," my father says plainly. "So when I heard that your mother caught you skipping school with Sophie that one time, I panicked."

The room goes completely silent. The only sound I hear is my own breathing.

"She was just four years older than you…but still. I was totally blinded by my twisted past," he pours out. "I did everything I could back then to keep you two apart."

 _Whoa_. The truth is finally exposed, and I'm floored. My mouth is agape.

"I saw how you losing her severed our close relationship, but I stood firm. I talked to Taylor in hopes that he would be on board. I had no idea what conversation took place between he and Sophie. It wasn't my intent to sever his relationship with his daughter."

This entire situation is fucked up all around. My eyes are blinking in an attempt to process it all.

"Sophie pushed Taylor away because she knew that he'd figure out who Ronan's true father was," I tell him.

My father looks pained. "See, I never meant for any of this to happen. And now you're suing Sophie for custody."

I sigh.  
So _that's why_ I'm here.

"Your mother informed me," he clarifies. "Sophie called her this morning. She was hysterical."

I instantly grow cold.  
 _I don't want to hear it._

"Look Dad…I get it. I understand why you were so hard on me. And even though you did what you did to keep us apart, that doesn't excuse Sophie for doing what _she_ did." I feel my blood pressure rising from the very mentioning of her name.

"Son – look. You need to cut her some slack."

I gape at him. "Are you serious right now?" I raise my voice. "What about me? What would you do if you were in my shoes, Dad? How would you feel if the mother of your child kept your son away from _you_?" My legs are eager to spring forth and either pace the room or walk the hell out of here.

"Sophie didn't fight for me. She didn't fight for us, and she didn't fight for Ronan," I throw in with the same venomous measure. "She should've loved her son… _our_ son enough to want him to know who his _real family_ was."

My father places a palm on my shoulder. Instead of scolding me about my disrespectful tone, he wears an irreproachable expression.

"Son," he starts. "We've all taken part in this entire fucked-up situation. Some us provoked it – and I take full responsibility in the role I played in this whole cluster fuck. But we've been given a chance to fix it and make it right. It's true that things are far from ideal right now – but it is what it is."

I have no clue what the hell he's trying to say to me, and I can tell that my confusion dawns on him.

"This is the part where I tell you to _man up and take responsibility_ ," he smirks.

I'm affronted. "And that's exactly what I'm doing. I'm fighting for my son," I hiss.

"Ted, don't you dare take that boy away from his mother. You need to forgive her," he says sternly.

I'm absolutely shocked by his words. I nearly begin to fall apart.

"But I can't. I _can't_ …"

"It's going to take time, but please, don't shut her out in the process. Yes – let her earn your trust back. Regardless, that wonderful little boy is going to need both of his parents. And if you and her decide to be together…"

"No, it's not going to happen," I say firmly.

"Whether you decide to be a couple or not, you are going to need to learn how to be a team for the sake of Ronan. It's called _co-parenting_. Learn it," he strikes back. I look down as he firmly pats my shoulder. "And you know that your mother and I will be there every step of the way – for you _and_ for our grandson. Is that clear?"

I turn with wide eyes and zoom into my father's gray irises.

"I'm really a father," I sigh, still in total disbelief.

He smiles and gives me a single nod. "And I'm telling you from first-hand experience, nothing is sweeter."

In a surprise move, my father opens his arms wide and after hesitating, I fall into them. Beyond my control, I start to sob and my father pats my back in comfort.

"Son, this will be fixed. I promise," he declares.

He says so, but I don't know when, where or how.

I honestly don't think that it will ever be fixed.

* * *

 _Sophie_

I'm quite used to slamming my emotions down into my gut with a sledgehammer. Even though my entire world's in flames, I've mastered disguising my pain.

No, I absolutely cannot fall apart at work. I need this job not only to provide for my son, but also to fight for him.

I can't _believe_ Teddy. He has the audacity of try to take my son away from me. Joint custody, full custody…it's all semantics. As far as I was concerned, he already had _joint custody_. So why did he file the paperwork?

He doesn't trust me?  
 _Ughhh_ , that man!

It's been _months_ and still he speaks no more than two words to me. He doesn't call. He'll text whenever he's on his way to get Ronan. Other than that, he has nothing to do with me. He still can't look me in the eye.

Now _this_.

Me getting served with papers this morning was a punch to the face. Ronan couldn't understand why I was crying. And instead of calling my mother first, I called Ana. I didn't want to hear my mom saying the words: _I told you so_.

She told me to never trust a Grey.

However, when my mother came by the house this morning to watch Ronan before the Greys' driver arrived to take him to the big house to be homeschooled with his uncle Topher, she didn't seemed bothered by me getting served.

 _"It says_ _ **joint**_ _custody, Sophie. Look, just talk to him.  
I'm sure he'll clear everything up," she urged._

I walked out of my apartment without arguing with her. Why is she not seeing things from my side? Why is it perfectly fine for him to take me to court over an arrangement that he currently already has?

I stand behind the front desk, mulling over this morning's happenings. I angrily slam my fingers against the computer keys as I reconcile several guest folios. Soon, I hear someone slap a palm against the bell. "I'll be right there," I murmur as I wrap up what I'm doing.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps coming in my direction. I remain focused, not bothering to look up. Whoa – whoever this is smells _really_ good. When I look up, I nearly have a coronary.

It's Ted's father.

"Mr. Grey?" I gasp.

"Sophie." He says my name in his grand ' _I'm Christian Fucking Grey'_ way.

Well I don't care who he is, especially if he's here to intimidate me into giving up my son. He can kiss my lily-white ass.

"Is there something that I can help you with?" I say as professionally as I can. But I can't hide the _'eat shit and die'_ tone of my voice.

"Can you break away for thirty minutes? I'd like to have a chat with you, if I could."

Holy hell. I mean look at him. He's all suited up looking like a billion-dollar Mafioso.

"Sure. It'll just be a second. I'll call my assistant manager up here."

I quickly pick up the phone and call the back office.

"Yo."

"Dan? Can you cover me for thirty?"

"Right now?" I hear the disappointment in his voice.

"Yes. Please."

"Fine," he sighs. I hang up.

"It'll be a moment," I say awkwardly to my surprise visitor.

"Sure." And if I'm not mistaken, that could be a faint little smile I'm seeing on his handsome face.

I remember being scared of this same man every since I was a little girl. For most of my life, Mr. Grey has been the scariest, most intimidating man that I know. He would later go on to torment his son, my boyfriend to the point where Ted would have to come up with creative ways to escape his constant surveillance.

"Yo, Soph,"I hear Dan's voice approaching. The second he's standing by my side, he begins gaping at the guest on the other side.

"Oh my God, are you Christian Grey?" Dan gasps. Mr. Grey nods and remains cordial, but I can tell that he's a little irritated.

"Thirty minutes. I'll be with my son's grandfather if you need me," I say nonchalantly as I reach for my purse nearby.

I turn back one last time and notice Dan pointing wildly to Mr. Grey as he looks at me. _Yes, that's Ronan's grandpa._ I nod in confirmation before rounding the counter and taking off with Mr. Grey.

….

Ten minutes into his monologue while seated at a small private table at the hotel restaurant, I'm stunned silent with a slack jaw. I haven't even touched my cup of coffee that he insisted on getting me.

"So with that said, I'd like to apologize for my behavior," Mr. Grey concludes. "There were some things that I needed to work out that had nothing to do with either you or Ted, yet I managed to take them out on you both. If I knew my actions would later make you so afraid to come forward about who Ronan's true father was, I certainly wouldn't have reacted that way back then."

It begs to wonder what exactly he needed to _'work out'_ , but I know that's none of my business.

"Just know that our entire family is here for you and for Ronan now. Anything you need, it's yours," he says in declaration.

I blink. I don't think he has a clue about what Ted just did, or else he wouldn't say that.

"What?" He obviously catches my reservation.

"Is Ted going to fight me for custody?" I spit out.

"I advised him not do that. Ronan deserves to be with his mother."

My heart nearly stops at his words.

"And Ted deserves to know his son," he adds.

"Of course," I gasp, on the verge of crying.

"Very well, then," he says firmly. "And I expect you to join my grandson over at the house for dinner on Sunday."

My head lowers and I gaze at my coffee mug. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" he asks. "Why shouldn't Ronan have dinner with his _entire_ family at least once a week?"

Jesus. I feel like sinking into my chair.

But he's right. Ronan has done nothing to deserve a broken family. I just need to suck up my pride and have dinner with my son and his family. There's nothing that I wouldn't do for him.

"Only if Ted doesn't mind me being there," I utter. I look up at him and he's smirking at me.

"Well, it's _our_ _house_ and Mrs. Grey and I insist on you joining us."

"Sure," I smile lightly in return.

* * *

 _Sunday, June 15, 2036_

 _Ted_

" _Dadddyyyy_!"

I'm stunned when Ronan comes charging into the great room at my parents' shortly before dinner. I immediately scoop him up, clutch him tight, and kiss him on the cheek as his arms cling to my neck.

"Hey, son," I gleam.

He spent Friday night with me, so I saw him just yesterday morning. I'm tickled that he's just as excited to see me nearly twenty-four hours later as I am to see him. Then I look from where he came from and see his mother standing there. I'm frozen.

"Ronan! Ronan! Let's play! Put him down, Teddy!"

I can feel my little brother tugging at my pants, so I lower down my son until his sneakers meet the floor.

"We'll be back," Ronan beams as he runs off with Topher. I catch Sophie smiling as she witnesses the two hams charging directly into some sort of mischief.

 _Bloody hell._

Her beauty continues to shine through in spite of what I've tried to do to her in retaliation. And immediately, I feel like the biggest piece of shit on the planet. As soon as the boys are far away, I immediately walk up to her.

"Hey," I say. My throat feels like it's closing in, and my shame's seeping through my pores. Her smile's long gone. I can see the sheer hurt radiating from her deep blue eyes. And it's taking everything in me to not dive right into them and try to save her.

But I know in my heart of hearts that I can't save her. For months I've been an asshole to her. Not to mention she's been carrying the entire burden of guilt for four years. At least for three of those years, I lived in complete ignorance. Not her. She had to eat, breathe, and walk this thing all by herself.

"Hey," she says quietly. Her eyes drop down to the floor.

"Can we talk? Please?" I murmur in a plea. "Out back?"  
She nods.

I lead the way and she follows. We catch the eye of Mrs. Taylor as we make way towards the sliding doorway leading out to the veranda. Obviously witnessing the sober expression on our faces, she doesn't say a word. I'm thankful that my mother and sisters were elsewhere because they would have prolonged this inevitable discussion between Sophie and I.

Once outside, I gesture towards one of the padded chairs on the veranda and she sits. I sit right next to her but remain conscious of giving her space. It's a beautiful pleasant June day. The air brushing in from the meadow has always had a nostalgic affect for me, along with the girl who's my present company. She looks breathtaking in a floral summer dress with laced-up arm straps.

"I didn't mean to cause alarm. You know…with you being served and all," I start.

Her eyes close and I swear I catch a shudder as if she's relieving the moment all over again. "I wasn't expecting that," she laughs nervously, but her expression doesn't match. She looks hurt.

"My lawyers suggested it. It wasn't even my idea in the first place," I say in my defense.

"But you let them do it," she counters.

My head drops in shame.

" _You_ …you don't even talk to me, Ted," she murmurs.

"I know," I say under my breath. "I'm sorry. For everything."

My eyes fall back on her. I can tell by the look on her face that she would like to give me a piece of her mind, but she can barely even look at me right now. I was hurt, but the last thing I wanted to do was hurt her in return – believe it or not.

"Your father came by my job that same afternoon to see me," she finally says after almost a minute of silence.

I blink in surprise. "Funny enough, it was he of all people who finally got me to see things straight." Her eyes lock with mine, and I witness her shock.

As I look at her, I don't feel the same animosity I once had. There's no longer that sick feeling lingering in my stomach when I look at her.

And again, we sit outside with the meadow just a pebble's throw away. The familiar smell and the sunlight finally winning over the Washington clouds and reflecting against her golden blond hair begins to trigger so many familiar feelings.

How did we get here?  
We were _never_ supposed to end up like this.

We have a son together, but _we_ are no longer together.  
I'd never thought that this day would ever come.

 _We were supposed to be together.  
Forever._

"I will have my lawyers reverse the filing," I tell her.

"Thank you," she exhales.

"And I promise to better communicate," I add. "For Ronan's sake."

She nods, relieved.

* * *

 _Saturday, June 28, 2036_

 _Sophie_

Things have gotten much better between Ted and I since we talked outside at his parents' place. It's been almost two weeks and things are no longer awkward between us.

When Ted used to drop off Ronan at my apartment, he would hug him before turning around to leave without uttering one word to me. However for the past two weeks, he's been totally different. Still, it's not close to what we used to be before, but at least he's speaking to me now.

And hanging around.

"Daddy…don't cheat!" Ronan giggles as he leans into his father on the sofa, throwing him off his game.

"I'm _not_ cheating," Ted chuckles.

Ted and Ronan are sitting on my couch playing video games when I exit my bedroom after changing out of my work clothes and into jeans and a UW t-shirt. Ted glances up at me.

"I didn't know if you already had dinner prepared for Ronan, so he hasn't eaten yet," he says.

I giggle-sigh. "I was hoping that he ate something, but I can go and pick him up a sandwich and apple wedges next door."

"Have you eaten yet?" Ted winces.

I shake my head. "I'll grab myself a sandwich, too."

"Yes! I win!" Ronan suddenly cries out in triumph. Seems that Ted was distracted by our conversation, which catapulted our son straight into victory.

"It appears so. Good game, son," Ted praises, shuffling Ronan's hair. "Hey, tell mommy to go and grab her purse. We're going to Olive Garden. How does that sound?"

" _Yaaaayyyy_!" the four-year-old shrieks. Ted and I laugh.

Ronan and his Olive Garden obsession never ceases to delight me.

* * *

 _Wednesday, July 2, 2036_

 _Ted_

Hanson and I decide to do lunch at the nearby pizzeria.

"I'm looking forward to the Fourth of July fireworks show over at your folks'," he says after chewing.

I take another bite of my piping hot slice and nod, unable to talk with a full mouth.

"Will your dad take the boat out, too?" he asks.

I nod and finish chewing as fast as I can. "He's stoked to take Ronan out on The Grace again," I tell him. "So _yes_."

"He's getting a kick out of being a grandfather. I don't think I've seen him so happy," Hanson reflects.

"Yeah…he's been great," I echo. "He's a brand new man."

"That's good to hear. So he won't strangle me when I ask him for his daughter's hand in marriage."

I gape at my old friend. "You're _finally_ going to do it?" I gasp.

He smiles and nods. "Yep."

"Fuck yes," I say, pumping a fist in triumph.

"Pheeb doesn't know yet, so keep it quiet," he says in warning.

"When are you thinking about asking her?" I ask.

"Friday. Maybe on the boat."

"Solid," I smile proudly. "You have the ring?"

He reaches into his suit pocket and pulls out a tiny black velvet box and hands it to me. When I flip it open, I see a sparkling white gold princess cut halo engagement ring, surrounded by little diamonds all around the band. It's magnificent.

"Excellent work, Larkin. I approve," I smile as I close the box and hand it back to him.

"So, you wouldn't mind being my best man?" he slips in with a smirk.

"Of course I'll be your best man," I say without hesitation. He and I slap five across the table.

"Thanks, Ted."

"Well, since you're letting me in on a secret of yours, I will let you in on one of mine," I start.

He gapes at me. "You too?"

I shake my head rapidly. " _No_ – no, man," I say admittedly. "Not _that kind_ of secret. I'm not in a hurry to do _that_. And besides, we saw how my last engagement turned out," I quip.

"I was kind of pleased to see you and Sophie finally talking and laughing together last week at Sunday dinner. You, her and Ronan looked just like a cute little family," he grins.

"For _Ronan_ ," I clearly stress.

"Whatever you say, man," Larkin narrows his eyes in skepticism. "Look, I know what I saw. Will she be on the boat, too?"

"Anyway," I say, rolling my eyes. "That's not the point I was trying to make."

"Alright," he says, now all ears.

"So – I don't know if you knew this, but I've been grooming your future fiancée to take my spot as director of PTF."

"What?" He gapes at me.

"Yep," I nod, unwavering. "Between you and me, I've been busy getting my own business off the ground. I've partnered with Mason Lund. You met him at a Sunday dinner."

"I remember him. The bright kid from Chicago."

"Yep. We're making major headway. Our DBA is _RTG & Associates_."

Hanson's eyes are narrow. "RTG?"

"Ronan Taylor Grey."

Hanson's eyes widen and a smile takes over his mouth. "That's so cool, man. You named your company after your son."

I nod. "He's the reason why I have to do this now. I was dragging my ass earlier. Things were going so well for me at GEH. I was getting way too comfortable."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Hanson argues.

"For me – there _was_. It was _all wrong_. GEH has _never_ been my vision," I reveal.

"I never knew that, man," he sighs.

"I really haven't told anyone. Phoebe knows. Yet I still don't think it's going to finally hit her until I leave. I just keep telling her that she needs to be ready for when that day comes. I have no doubt that she'll be ready. And I'm sure you will help her whenever she needs it."

"Of course," Hanson says without batting an eye.

"The future fate of GEH will now rest in the hands of the Grey-Larkin contingent," I quip. "Well, at least until Topher Grey rises up and snatches that shit away from you both."

Hanson laughs. "We'll do our best and keep the ship afloat until Topher stakes his rightful claim."

"You're a good man, Hanson Larkin," I tease.

* * *

 _Monday, July 7, 2036_

 _Monday Man Lunch_ has evolved since its inception. Topher and I have since brought Ronan into the fold, and Monday's have never been the same.

They're even better.

The three of us are enjoying a well-needed break – the boys from homeschooling, and me from working all morning. We sit at our usual table at Club Sahara.

"I didn't need to see Hanson and Phoebe kissing on the boat before the fireworks," Topher grumbles with a frown on his face.

"Gross," Ronan giggles with his mouth on his straw.

"Hanson asked Phoebe to marry him on the boat, and Phoebe said _'yes'_. It's customary for the newly engaged couple to kiss," I school the boys.

"It's yucky," Topher says with a sour look.

"So look, would it have been yucky if…let's say _Emmy_ kissed _you_ on the boat?"

" _Ohhhh_ ," Ronan gasps at his uncle.

And just as I predicted, my little brother's cheeks turn bright red. He hides his face in his hands.

"You've got nothing to say about that?" I egg on.

"He likes her!" Ronan teases, and I laugh.

"Be quiet!" Topher snaps at his nephew, but he fights back a smile.  
I practically lose it.

"It's not funny," my brother says to me.

"Okay, so Hanson _likes_ Phoebe. It's okay for him to kiss her," I conclude. This shuts Topher up about the subject for the reminder of the afternoon.

A while later, I look up and see Monty talking to a gorgeous woman. She has flawless, café au lait skin, and thick, long curly dark hair. She looks the epitome of a business professional, but with an attitude as she wears the hell out of that fuchsia skirt suit. Both she and Monty steal the occasional glance from us. They look guilty.

 _Fuck Monty, I hope you're not already cheating on Laurie._

I shake off the exploits of my trashy friend and return to focus on my two favorite guys at the table. "So who's winning on the trampoline now?" I ask the two of them.

"Ronan," Topher concedes. "He has way more energy than me."

I laugh. "I don't believe it."

"He gets bored too fast," Ronan adds.

"So that's it. You beat him by exhaustion," I smirk.

"Where are my chickey nuggets?" Topher says, but I catch him looking over my shoulder and not directly at me. I turn my head and see Monty standing there with a goofy ass grin on his face.

"They're coming, my man," Monty assures him. "And your cheeseburger, too," he says to Ronan.

"Who was that you were just talking to?" I say, giving him a scolding look.

"That my friend is your future wife," he whispers in my ear.

I laugh. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"She's been watching you with the boys every single Monday. She's the daughter of a Silicon Valley hot shot." My brow furrows at his words.

"Hey, Monty," someone calls out from the kitchen.

"I'll be right back," he says before heading off.

The second that Monty leaves, I see the girl in fuchsia stand and head in our direction. My breath catches in my throat as I watch her hips sway seductively from left to right until she reaches our table.

"Hello," she says in the most angelic voice. "My name is Mischa. Mischa Dawes," she says, extending her hand. I take it.

"Hi. I'm Ted Grey."

"I know who you are," she purrs.

 _Fuck me, she's hot._

"This is Ronan Grey, and Topher Grey." I say, introducing the boys who are now blankly staring at her.

 _You too, eh?  
Yeah, she is quite the looker._

"Oh my gosh, you both are _so_ stinking cute!" she gushes. Before her eyes come back to mine, I see her checking out my left hand that's currently laying flat on the table. "Your sons?"

"Just Ronan here. Topher is my brother."

 _Why are we talking? Who is she?_

"I just want to say that I think it's so adorable that you take the boys out to lunch every Monday. I'm here just about every week and I see you bonding with them," she raves.

Before I can thank her, her last name suddenly rings a bell.

"Is JB Dawes any relation to you by chance?"

"My father," she beams. "And like you, I work for my dad – between here and Silicon Valley."

I smirk. "Oh? And how's that going for you? Working for your dad and all."

"Well," she laughs. "Let's just say that I'm in search of greener pastures."

Oh? Do tell.  
 _I could definitely use a tech expert at RTG._

"Were you meeting someone here for lunch?" I ask.

"Dining alone," she says, borderline embarrassed.

"You mind joining us?" I offer.

"Thank you. I'd be delighted," she beams.

I immediately stand and grab a nearby spare chair and sit it on my side of the table. I catch Topher gaping at Ronan as I offer Mischa the seat, and Ronan simply smirks at Topher in response and shrugs his shoulders before the two of them drop the whole thing.

"I love my father, but he's old school when it comes to the new age of technology," she continues. "What about you? How do you like working for your parents? I'm hearing wonderful things about Propel The Future under your leadership."

"Thank you. Working for my folks isn't too bad," I say. "But like you, I'm always looking for _greener pastures_."

"Well, my father's sick of me whining," she chuckles. "So he's going to gift me with a portion of his empire. I want to take it and team up with a topnotch investor."

 _Jackpot._

By the end of lunch, Mischa and I exchange numbers.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Thanks so much for your patience in between updates and your wonderful feedback on this story._**

 ** _Up next – Just when the walls finally start to crumble between Ted and Sophie, they each catch the other spending time with someone else._**

 ** _Later, Ted finally has the long awaited talk with his father._**

 ** _Until the next update! – ST2_**

 ** _PS – Again, please pardon the errors. I wanted to get this up before I head out to catch Black Panther for the second time. :)_**


	29. Chapter 29 - We Belong

**Chapter 29 – We Belong**

 _Monday, July 7, 2036  
(Continued)_

 _Ana_

Kate didn't sound upset, but still – there was a sense of urgency in the tone of her voice over the phone. I knew that whatever she had to get off of her chest was important enough for me to move several meetings around on my calendar.

I'd just seen her last night at dinner and everything appeared to be fine with her. She and Elliot along with Sloan and her longtime boyfriend Jaxon joined us at the house with the recently betrothed Phoebe and Hanson, as well as Teddy, Ronan, Sophie, Taylor, and Gail.

Speaking of Gail, she's been relieved from working Saturdays and Sundays since the very beginning. But ever since Christian and I insisted on her and Taylor joining us for Sunday dinners with Ronan, she absolutely can't help herself. She's constantly itching to help out in the kitchen, no matter how much I scold her about it.

I meet Kate just past noon at our favorite sushi spot. She's already seated at a table by the window when I arrive.

"So what's going on?" I ask after the waiter takes my drink request along with our lunch order. We stick with our usual rolls.

Kate props her left hand on the table. It takes a moment, but then it dawns on me that she's sporting a brand new sweet shiny rock on her delicate hand. I gasp.

"Oh my God. Is _that_ …is that what I think it is?" I stammer.

She smiles bigger than I've ever seen her smile, and nods. I spring out of my chair like a jack in a box and she stands so I can pull her into me. I'm squeezing her so tight, beyond overjoyed.

I wasn't expecting this. Not in a million years. I just knew that tying the knot again was the very last thing on Kate's mind after finally escaping that joke of a marriage to Tom. It just goes to show that when someone's your true soul mate, nothing can halt destiny.

It takes me a few beats, but I finally settle down enough to return to my seat.  
"How did it happen? I want to know _everything_ ," I anxiously implore.

"After we left your place, he and I took a long walk along Elliott Bay. We were just _talking,_ as we normally do – nothing deep. Suddenly out of nowhere, he gets down on one knee and proposes." Kate appears as if she's reliving the shock of the moment. "I froze."

"I'm sure you did," I chuckle. "You weren't expecting it."

"No – not _at all_ ," she beams fondly. "I thought that we were just fine right where we were. But the moment he asked me to marry him, all of these emotions just came flooding in. Then I _knew_. I knew I wanted exactly what he wanted. _Oh_ – he did freak out a little at first."

I gape at her. " _Really_?"

"Yeah," she laughs. "I was stunned silent. I didn't speak for a good while after he popped the question. He later told me that I took so long to give him an answer, that he was expecting me to say _no_ ," she giggles.

I laugh. "But obviously you ended up putting him out of his misery."

"I did," she says proudly. "And let's just say that I'm only functioning on two hours of sleep right now."

"Kate," I admonish with narrow eyes. Still, I can't hide my excitement. This is _so_ long overdue. Elliot and Kate should've married long before Christian and I. Until they broke up many years ago, they were a couple for much longer than we were.

"Hey – don't you _dare_ give me that, Mrs. Grey, when you and _Mr. Man_ are still constantly fucking like rabbits," she bites back.

I clear my throat and hang my head in slight embarrassment. _She's right._

"So, now I have _two_ weddings to look forward to," I muse with a broad smile on my face.

"Um… _well_ ," she hems and haws. "Elliot and I plan on eloping next month. In Vegas," she announces, awkwardly exposing her bottom row of teeth.

"What! _No way_ ," I immediately shut her down. "I won't have it. Your mother won't have it. _Grace_ won't have it."

"Ana…"

"Hush. You and Elliot will have your wedding in our garden. That's final."

"We've both done this at least once before. We don't need the pomp and circumstance this time around. We're _old_ ," she laughs. "And besides, this is only for us and no one else. I just wanted to share the happy news with my best friend."

"And I appreciate that. However, you should _not_ elope," I scold. "If you want to get married next month, _fine_. But do it in the presence of an intimate group of your closest family and friends. We've been waiting on this for _so long_. Let us share in your joy."

Kate sighs and shakes her head. " _Fine_. I'll ask Elliot."

"Regardless of what he says, you _will_ have the wedding at our home. Don't you dare defy me, Ms. Kavanagh…soon-to-be _Mrs. Grey_."

My words echo back to me and I feel a chill. Finally, Kate Kavanagh is going to have the name that she was always meant to have. And this occasion is far too important for an un-intimate ceremony at some _Chapel of the White Flower-Wearing Elvis_ shithole. _No way, no how._

We talk a little bit about planning her wedding. She wants me to be her matron of honor, while Sloan serves as maid of honor. Kate tells me that her sweet mother is already on the job of crafting her a marvelous wedding dress. Mrs. Kavanagh is over the moon. She simply adores Elliot, and she already treats Sloan as if she's her own granddaughter. In her eyes, Sloan is no different than Ethan and Katie's children. Sloan has the benefit of living in the same state as Kate's parents, unlike Kate's brother and family who live in New York.

And although Sloan has been on speaking terms with her mother Lily, her heart truly belongs to Kate. Kate was there when Sloan was having a tough time with a group of _mean girls_ back in high school. These girls had their heads so far up Phoebe's ass, but when my daughter wasn't looking, that same group treated her cousin like a second-class citizen. Sloan didn't think that she could talk to Phoebe about what was going on at the time. She also didn't want to shake things up. Instead, she bore all to Kate.

 _"They're jealous of you. They want to_ _ **be**_ _you. You are beyond beautiful. You're a_ _ **Grey**_ _, and you're best friends and cousins with the most popular girl in school. Fuck them. They don't deserve a second inside of your thoughts"_ – Kate once told Sloan.

It was solid advice. And Kate would continue to give her more gems like that whenever she needed to hear it. That is why Sloan Grey is the strong young woman that she is today. I'm _so_ proud of her.

"Hey – I've been thinking about something since yesterday," Kate says as she tilts her head, looking very contemplative.

"About the wedding?"

"No. At least not mine. What's going on with Teddy and Sophie? They looked extremely chummy last night. If any stranger would've saw what I saw, they'd just assume that the two of them and Ronan were a family."

My lips flatten in a line and I shrug my shoulders in response.

"They need to quit playing around like Elliot and I did for many years. They absolutely belong together. I'm speaking from experience," she says firmly.

I shrug my shoulders again, not knowing what else to tell her, other than – "I agree, but Teddy is still trying to get over what Sophie did."

"I saw not one ounce of animosity on his face last night. All I saw was _love_." Kate's words cause me to flinch. "I saw a couple who should be together raising that beautiful little boy as one."

I shrug again for the umpteenth time. I feel helpless. "Again, I agree. But it's not my place to control the lives of my adult children."

"Maybe I should talk to Teddy. Or maybe Elliot should," she considers.

"No," I say, shaking my head. "The last time someone urged Teddy to marry someone, it didn't turn out so well."

Kate acquiesces. "Fine. But I hate sitting back and watching my nephew delay his destiny. Just looking at them, I see what they have together as clear as day. I saw the very same thing with you and Christian."

I narrow my eyes at her and she quickly corrects herself. "Not at first. I was blinded. I was stupid and jealous of losing my best friend," she admits. "But I couldn't deny what the two of you had. I saw the same thing in Phoebe and Hanson, and they're acting on it – just like you and Christian did. I just don't want Teddy and Sophie making the same mistakes that Elliot and I made. Why are they being so stubborn?"

"For the same reasons you and Elliot were," I smirk. "Look, I want nothing more than for my son to be happy. But I can't rush things. He has to find his own way. I'm _not_ Christian," I remind her.

"And I _am_?" Kate frowns.

"Yes," I respond without hesitation, laughing.

" _What_?!" she says, affronted.

I narrow my eyes. "You and Grey are both pushy as hell. Don't deny it."

"I'm _assertive_ ," she sugarcoats.

" _Pushy_. When you and Christian don't get your way, you _push_ and _push_ and _push_."

" _Lies_ ," she spits back. "Look how long I waited until Tom divorced me. I didn't _push_ him to do it."

"It's because Tom's a sociopath, and you can't push a sociopath against a wall. You had to use a foreign method on him," I counter. "Other than that, you are _pushy_. Don't deny it," I smirk.

Kate sighs and rolls her eyes. " _Fine_. Maybe a little bit," she acquiesces.

"No…a _lotta_ bit," I correct her.

"I'm not _that_ bad…as I used to be," she says, borderline embarrassed.

"True," I give her. "Same with Christian. He's much better."

"He's changed a great deal this past few years. I think almost losing you during the surgery played a big role in that. Then Teddy's failed engagement. And Ronan has completely turned his whole world upside down."

"Exactly," I smile in agreement.

"So look…since you're forcing us to have the wedding at your place, how about we set up Sophie to catch the bouquet?" Kate schemes.

I laugh. "Just because she catches the bouquet doesn't mean that she's going to marry Teddy."

"After she catches the bouquet, I will take her off to the side and whisper to her that if she doesn't marry Ted, she'll have twenty years of bad luck just like I did."

" _Kate_ ," I laugh.

"Never mind," she quickly cancels the idea. "She's already had a rough life. I'll just tell her that she needs to marry my nephew so that my great-nephew will have his father in the home, and they can live happily ever after."

I shake my head.

In all honesty, that is my hope, too. However, this is something that must happen organically. Teddy's and Sophie's healing and reconciliation can't be forced.

* * *

 _Thursday, July 10, 2036_

 _Sophie_

It's been weeks since Ted starting lingering around my apartment. And whenever I'm over at his place to either pick up Ronan or drop him off, he insists on me staying just a little while longer.

I don't know exactly where we stand, but there's one thing I do know for certain.

My heart is dead set on him.

I think back to a week ago. I couldn't make it out to the Greys' big Fourth of July bash because I had to work, but Phoebe called me that night to tell me that Hanson had proposed to her in front of the family on the boat. I was over the moon for her.

But I also longed that it were Ted proposing to _me_ on that boat.

If he never _ever_ forgives me and takes me back, then I deserve to be alone. I don't want anyone else but him. In the meantime, I continue to turn down dates from attractive men who pursue me at work. I can't envision myself being with anyone else _but_ the father of my child.

 _He is the love of my life._

But at this rate, Ted and I only exist together for Ronan's benefit. Up to this point, it's been all about Ronan, which I'm totally fine with. However, I have no clue if Ted still has feelings for me like I have for him. It's disheartening.

Ronan has been enjoying home pre-schooling with Topher three days a week. My father is set to bring him home later today, which gives me time to just sit back and unwind alone on my sofa for a few hours. I'm starving, but I have no idea what I'm going to eat for lunch. _I'll figure it out when I get to the apartment._

Just as I set to leave the hotel for the day, I catch Greg walking in.

"Hey…Sophie," he says, stopping me cold in my tracks.

 _Not now._

"Hey Greg."

"Hey," he says sweetly. "You're off work already?" he says with a lingering look of disappointment. I nod. "Have lunch with me."

Greg is a sweet guy who likes to come here to the Olympic for lunch every so often. He has dark brown hair and perfect white teeth. _He must use those white strips every single day._ Today, he's wearing a casual pastel plaid buttoned-up shirt with tan slack and shiny brown loafers. Greg is very handsome in a _wholesome_ sort of way. He doesn't ooze sex appeal like Ted. His normal office attire is apparently a bit more on the business-casual side than what's expected from someone who works at Grey House. What Greg is wearing could only pass on a Friday at Ted's job.

Just the thought of Ted makes my heart flutter, but I push the thought aside.

"I was just leaving," I smile. "But thank you."

He smiles back. "I know you probably haven't eaten yet."

Greg has always been so very nice and sweet to me. He'd often say that if I weren't on the clock, he'd insist that I join him for lunch. I knew that would never happen. For one, I can't be seen at work fraternizing with the clientele. It's not a good look.

"No, I haven't. But I _can't_ eat here," I sigh with a slight laugh.

"We don't have to," he counters. "There's an awesome French place just a five minute drive from here. You can even follow me in your car if you want."

I know the place. Le Pichet. And it _is_ awesome.  
 _I've been there a dozen times with Ted._

I smile. "But you were coming _here_ to eat," I remind him.

"What can I say? I'm flexible," he smirks in response. "Look, I'm not taking _no_ for an answer. It's only lunch."

 _Just lunch, huh?_ I'd be lying if I said that my stomach wasn't in the process of consuming its own lining at this very moment.

 _Damn Le Pichet and my annoying appetite._

I relent.

….

At the restaurant, Greg and I are ushered to a table that's a little too crowded for my liking. There are other parties already seated to the left and the right of it. I almost rather sit at the bar. I sense the hostess picking up on my reluctance.

"Is this table okay?" she asks.

"It's great," Greg insists, although he checks on me to make sure. I ease up and nod. "Thank you," he says to her, and we squeeze into our table, with me taking the bench and him taking the chair.

"You've been here before?" he asks.

"Many times."

Although Le Pichet is famously known for their delicious French cuisine, the restaurant itself has more of an old small-town diner feel to it. A single cluster of conjoined benches takes up the entire wall on the longest side. The other side has a long bench as well, but it's cut short by the bar. The wall where we sit has several large rectangular mirrors hanging in landscape with French artwork sporadically scattered in the spaces above it.

From where I sit, I can see the bartender hustling and bustling behind the bar. Each small table, just like the one before me, is only big enough for two to dine on. On the other side of the table sits a single movable chair. The seating is arranged where there are two of these small tables joined together, leaving only a sliver of space separating each dining party. Therefore many times, strangers are forced to become fast friends by the end of the meal.

It's not the most intimate place to eat, but the food is freaking amazing. It's _so worth_ the claustrophobic vibe.

Greg sighs. "I don't get to come here as much as I like. Besides, The Olympic is so conveniently located. _And_ I get to see your face, which is always the highlight of my day."

I come close to blushing. "You're too much," I sigh.

"Not enough, apparently. You've been turning me down for months. Are you still seeing that guy?" he asks. I'm astounded by how forward he's being.

"It's complicated," I say. "He's my son's father."

His eyes round out. "Really?" I slowly nod in reply. "I didn't know your baby's father was still in the picture," he says.

"Yep," I answer succinctly.

He chuckles. "You don't seem too happy about that."

"Well like I said, it's complicated," I say with a smirk.

"Complicated for him or for you?"

I exhale with a laugh. "Now you're getting way too personal on our first lunch meeting."

"The first of many…I _hope_ ," he says, plopping out an ice cube from his glass of water and into his mouth.

I close my eyes and think hard about what I'm going to say next.

"What's the matter?" he says, semi-muffled by the cube.

"I don't want to lead you on," I admit.

"You're not," he insists. "I asked _you_ out to lunch."

I sigh. "I know. But I'm not looking for anything right now."

Slowly, I can see my words sinking into him. He's still kind, but not as confident as he was before. "I figured as much. I just thought that we could be friends. I've been curious to get to know you beyond the quick hellos and small talk at your job. I was going to ask you how your son was doing. Then we would launch into a conversation about hobbies. You know…the standard thing when you're getting to know someone. No pressure – just two people enjoying pleasant company."

I ease up just a bit at his words, but I can't help but think about how Aiden and I started. He was just as persistent as Greg. And Aiden waited and waited and waited until I was vulnerable enough to finally let him in.

 _I refuse to let that happen again._

So I decide to put my overly cautious feelings aside just for the afternoon. I will do as Greg says – sit back and _enjoy pleasant company_. But when we're all done, I will make it clear that I don't desire to complicate my life any further than it already is. This will probably be our first and last meal together.

My heart belongs to Ted Grey and it always will – whether he wants possess it or not.

* * *

 _Ted_

I'm having lunch at Le Pichet with Marisol.

"So you're finally going through with it, huh?" Marisol's expression looks both proud and sober at the same time.

"Whether you know it or not, I've been preparing you and Phoebe for my departure," I smile, taking in the last bite of sausage.

"I know, I know," she sighs sadly. "And I believe this is what you should be doing. It just sucks that I can't go with you."

Her words bring me much warmth. I wish I could take her with me too, but I need to lay down the foundation before I even think about hiring full-time staff. And GEH needs her, at least until after PTF is in full swing. _Phoebe_ needs her.

"See where I am in four years. Until then, I need you to kick ass for me at Grey House," I smile at her.

"Dammit, Grey," she sighs. "This sucks. Well, not for you, but for me."

"But you _love_ Phoebe," I remind her.

"I do," she agrees. "I'm just going to miss your crazy ass."

I laugh. "I won't be far away. We'll still do lunch. I won't be able to get through the week without your solid advice."

Just then, I hear a familiar laugh further down the other end to my right. I look down and my heart stops when I see the source.

 _Sophie._

She's here with some dude that I've never seen before. They are both smiling and laughing away. I feel like throwing up my entire lunch. I've brought her to Le Pichet so many times in the past, so I feel beyond slighted seeing her here with another guy.

 _What did you expect, Grey?  
You've treated her like shit for months.  
What was she supposed to do? _

Still, it doesn't ease the nauseating feeling. Then the guy she's with leans into her from across the table and says something with a flirty grin that I'm fucking itching to slap off, and she's laughing again. I mean _truly_ laughing.

 _She's finally moving on.  
_ My heart lunges into my throat.

 _I pushed her away.  
She had no other choice._

"Ted?"

I shift my head and see Marisol's face etched with concern. "Is everything all right?"

I try to shake the feeling and I nod. "It's fine," I say, forcing a smile.

She narrows her eyes. "I don't believe you." She leans forward from her bench and her gaze shifts from me to where I was just looking. "Do you _know_ her?"

And I know I can't lie to her. "It's Ronan's mom."

Her face falls. "Oh. _That's_ Sophie."

A few beats later, she squeezes in between the tables, reaching out to tap our waiter on the arm, and asks for the check.

Marisol knows how I feel about my son's mother. She understands that this moment is extremely hard for me to witness.

* * *

 _Tuesday, July 15, 2036_

It's been nearly a week since I saw Sophie hanging out at the restaurant with that dude. I've seen her a few times since then, mostly during our Ronan-exchanges. I've even sat with her at Sunday dinner at my parents'.

I made an effort not to give anything away. I didn't even bother bringing up the fact that I saw her with another guy.

I decided that it doesn't matter. I just hope that she keeps me in the loop if things start to get serious between them. Part of me wishes that I'd taken a picture of the guy and performed a reverse lookup on the image. I need to keep tabs on anyone and everyone regardless of who they are if they are ever going to be anywhere near my son.

I'll cross that bridge whenever I get there. However, the fact remains that the thought of Sophie moving on doesn't sit well with me. I can't fight it; no matter how hard I try.

I am still _deeply_ in love with her.

It's crazy…I _know_. She kept our son away from me for three, almost four years. But I am starting to understand why she did what she did. The talk with my father certainly helped. Monty's rare wise words helped. The growing closeness between Ronan and I is definitely helping me see how much his mother truly cares about him.

Part of me realizes that Sophie finally came clean because of how much she loves him – _and_ because of how much she loved me. She could only play the game for so long. She could've left town, and I wouldn't have been the wiser.

But she didn't.  
She stayed because she couldn't fight the truth.  
She didn't want to.

Now, all I can envision is Sophie and I together as one and raising our son. Well, that was until I saw her having lunch with that guy last week.

Again, I can't blame her. I shut her off for months. She finally saw the writing on the wall. I mean _look at her_ – she's hot as fuck. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Who _wouldn't_ want to take her out to lunch? Who _wouldn't_ want to sweep her off her feet?

So instead of moping around and feeling sorry for myself, I've decided to fully immerse myself into launching my business when I'm not tied up doing anything GEH related.

Today, I'm meeting up with Mischa to bring her up to speed on what Mason and I have been working on. I set to meet her for coffee at the café close to Grey House.

 _Sophie's favorite café._

Up until this point, we've been doing most of our corresponding by email, phone, and text. I've stopped by her office downtown for a quick private meeting maybe once or twice.

When the time comes, Mischa and I convene out in public for a late afternoon coffee. We sit as soon as we have our drink orders in hand.

I'd be blind to say that Miss Dawes isn't attractive. In fact, she's a knockout. Today, she's keeping it casual in a black V-neck sleeveless black dress splattered with spring flowers. It's a much less intimidating look than her usual sexy, ball-busting skirt and dress suits.

Her hair is neatly parted down the center, which I'm forced to study whenever her head goes down to sip her latte. All of a sudden, she puts down her off-white porcelain mug and traces my left hand laying flat on the table. I flinch ever so slightly, just enough to not cause her too much alarm. But I do start to feel a little uncomfortable.

"What's your deal?" she asks with smirky pursed lips. "Why don't you ever wear your ring?"

I grin just a little. "I'm not married."

She apologizes immediately. "Forgive me for prying, but I assumed that you were married to your son's mother."

I shake my head, which slowly drops.

"I didn't mean to hit a sore spot. You still dig her? Your baby's mom?" she asks. I nod subtly.

"Look, can I be frank with you?" she starts. The tone of her voice tells me that she will be frank in spite of my answer – so I remain quiet, yet attentive.

"I was smitten ever since that first Monday I saw you interacting with your son and your little brother at Sahara."

I begin to clam up, unsure how to respond.

"I was checking you out for a ring back then. I was just hoping that maybe you were either divorced or on your way to Divorce Court," she chuckles. "Then I saw how chummy you were with the chef at Sahara, so I decided to make friends with him too…only to find out who you were. I wasn't expecting you to be a Grey," she smiles. "You could've been a _Schmoe_ …hell, I wouldn't have cared. I _like_ **you**."

The reality of the present awkward situation finally sets in. Now, I have to speak up.

"Look, _Mischa_ ," I start, with a bit of nerves setting in. "I'd like to apologize if I've mislead you in any our meetings. I was hoping to forge a business relationship with you."

"I know that," she responds, unflinching.

"Each time we met, I came prepared to eventually sell you on the idea of joining forces with me and Mason."

Soon, a look of disappointment sets in on her pretty face. "And that's all?"

I nod regretfully. "I'm sorry. Yes…I'm still in love with my son's mother, but it's complicated," I explain. "I'm in the process of healing. I just don't have room in my heart for anyone else right now."

"I get it," she says. "I knew you were interested in getting into business with me. I was just hoping for something else on top of that." Now, she's fighting a smile.

"You're very beautiful," I tell her flat out. "But _this_ is just business. I'm sorry if I ever sent you the wrong message."

"No," she insists. "You didn't."

I take another sip of my coffee and find her studying me. I feel naked and uncomfortable.

"I can tell that you still love her very much," she observes. "And whatever she did, I hope that you can eventually forgive her and let her back into your heart. Life's too short to hold grudges."

Her statement takes me aback. She doesn't even know me, yet it's almost as if she does. I can't help but look down again, because she might take another gaze at my eyes and quickly expose something else.

Instead, she takes me out of my misery. She reaches out across the table and touches my hand again. This time, she's comforting and not forward at all. I look up at her and she's smiling.

"So, update me on this new business venture."

I feel a spark, which temporarily dissolves the previous emotions. I then launch into my full-on sales pitch, leaving out the pushy, douchy, smarmy sales guy act. Instead, I'm just a man who's confident in my own abilities, and armed with a solid vision.

The meeting goes better than I planned. I'm floating on a cloud after all's said and done. Mischa and I are set to meet with Mason next week. Finally, I'm truly ecstatic about my business. I finally feel like I have control over _something_.

At least until those old bitter feelings return with a vengeance and I imagine Sophie with that guy I saw her with last week.

….

As the weeks progress, Mischa and I become really good friends. And to my surprise, after all of the talk about the new business dies down, she's quick to ask me about how I'm doing these days. And normally I lob the usual _'I'm okay'_ response.

But one day she calls me out on it – and suddenly, I'm bearing all to her like I've never had with _anyone_.

* * *

 _Saturday, July 26, 2036_

 _Sophie_

For some reason, I've been feeling rather claustrophobic today at work. I was desperate to go outside and enjoy this last bit of non-Seattle-like weather before the permanent rain clouds settle in.

So after I eat my bagged dinner in the employee lounge, I decide to take a leisurely stroll downtown. I tug off my name badge and soon make way down 5th Avenue. It's a gorgeous Saturday evening, just after nine.

I reflect back on last night. Ronan, Ted, and I embarked on an extremely competitive game of Chutes and Ladders on the gaming consul. It's a game that my father and I used to play in board form on the dining room table when I was just a little girl. So this game holds a special place in my heart.

Later on, Ronan was quite exhausted so he passed out on the couch in between Ted and I. We watched him sleep, but pretty soon our eyes were locked in on each other.

We almost kissed.

Then he left.

Tonight, Ronan is staying over at his grandparents'. I'll see him tomorrow at dinner there. I couldn't help but hope that Ted would realize that I'd be home alone until then. But when he walked out after our close encounter, I knew that my terrible idea was simply wishful thinking.

 _Sophie – get ahold of yourself._

I'm walking and rehashing the embarrassing moment of coming _so close_ to kissing him, only to get shut down.

Then _this_ happens.

I have the uncanny ability to spot Ted Grey from any lineup – no matter what the lighting conditions are. I know every inch of that man's body. I can trace his outline from memory. I know his mannerisms. I know the unique way he walks.

So when I see what looks like Ted walking closely with some girl who I've never seen before, I don't even bat an eye. I _know_ it's him. However, the reality of the day and the time dawns on me – _It's Saturday. It's late. It's Date Night._ The two of them are just laughing and carrying on, walking _way_ too close together.

 _She's even prettier than Diana.  
Impossible._

I feel like melting into a pile of goo and seeping the pavement as I step off to the side and discretely watch them like a hawk as they stroll past me. They are both dressed as if they just left a concert and are off to enjoy a late dinner together.

 ** _We_** _used to do that._

When I get back to work, I am a complete mess. I lock myself in the back office and bawl my eyes out. Ted has _officially_ moved on. And I know for a fact that he deserves to be happy for a change. He deserves someone who can do what I've been unable to do.

 _Like not keep four-year long secrets from him._

It's not until I hear the banging on the door that I realize I've been crying just a little too loudly.

"Sophie?"

It's Stacey. I'm relieved it's her, but still mortified. Instead of ignoring her, I get up and open the door, and she quickly shuts it behind us.

Right away she takes me into her arms to comfort me.

"Sweetie...what's wrong?"

"I just got back from a walk and I saw Ted with another girl."

"Oh, Sophie," she squeezes me even tighter.

"I know they were out on a date. They were dressed nice. Well…Ted always dresses nice," I ramble.

"But how do you know they were out on a date?"

I pull away from Stacey and look her square in the eye. "It's Saturday night. They were _alone_."

"You don't know that," she counters.

I gasp. "Yes, I do. They were walking _together_. Just him and her."

She quickly hugs me again and pulls away. "Maybe you should ask him. Things have been getting better between the two of you. You need to find out where you stand with him."

I shake my head. "Ted's dating life is none of my business."

"I beg to differ," she frowns. "You and he share a son. Whoever he dates has the potential of being around your son."

Stacey makes a good point. However, I think prying in on Ted's dating life is still a cop out. It's not my place to question him about any one he could potentially be seeing. I trust that if things get serious enough, I will eventually find out.

Still, the thought of that brings me nothing even close to comfort.  
I'm feeling more anxious than I've ever felt before.

* * *

 _Ted_

After a successful dinner meeting with two very promising investors, Mischa and I decide to walk down the street and grab a quick coffee and dessert over at Uptown Expresso Belltown – which thankfully doesn't close until late.

"Craig Brighton's _itching_ to jump in," Mischa excites.

"I could tell," I ecstatically beam.

"You and Mason have a solid business plan. Anyone would be foolish not to jump on board. Hell, your dad will want in," she chuckles.

My smile fades and she catches wind of it.

"I'm serious," she firmly stresses. "You have an ironclad roadmap. It's the ultimate path to success. Just wait until you're working this full time. You'll be unstoppable. Your father will be proud."

I sigh. "I hope so."

No matter how much I talk about not caring what my father thinks, I actually do. He's the smartest man that I know. Who wouldn't want to earn the praises of someone who built a multi-billion dollar global empire at the bright young age of twenty-one?

"You will," she reassures. "Hey…so what do you have for me?"

I blink at her, not sure of what she's asking.

"The _phone_ ," she spells out.

"Oh," I exhale, smiling large. I pull my mobile from my pocket, wake it up, and search for what I need. When I find it, I hand it over to her.

She starts to gush. "Oh, my goodness."

"He's been working on that piece all week. He says it's not done."

"Jesus Christ, you truly have a child prodigy on your hands. I'd literally hang that one on my wall today."

I quickly slip my phone from her hands, which stuns her, but she smiles anyway.

"Nope. It's going up in my office at RTG, as soon as I get one," I boast.

"You and Sophie must be _so_ proud," Mischa swoons.

I nod, unable to tuck away my goofy ass smile. Then I realize that I am smiling for two entirely different reasons – One, because I am indeed _very_ proud of my son. And two, I absolutely adore my son's mother.

I don't think that she's been seeing the guy that I saw her having lunch with that one time. If Sophie's not working she's either spending time with Ronan, or she's with both Ronan and me – hanging around at her place or mine, or out enjoying a meal. And I've been thoroughly enjoying my time with the two of them.

But last night, things got a little too close for comfort with Sophie and I after Ronan had fallen asleep.

 _Although_ …if I were in the same frame of mind last night as I am in now, I definitely would have kissed her.

* * *

 _Sunday, July 27, 2036_

Last month, Sophie gave me the key fob to her place for emergencies. She also has the code to my penthouse. So when she didn't answer the intercom when I buzzed her in the lobby, I simply let myself in.

When I open her door, I find Sophie sitting alone on the living room sofa looking exhausted, still in her PJs.

"Hey," I say, concerned. "What's up? I just rang the bell."

"Sorry. I didn't hear," she murmurs.

"Why aren't you dressed?" I say, scanning her from top to bottom.

"I texted you earlier," she utters lifelessly.

I wince and hurry to retrieve my phone from my pocket. I search the messages. Indeed, I missed hers. "Wow, I'm sorry. You're not well?"

She weakly shakes her head. "I already told your mom. I think it's a migraine. Ronan's dressed and in his room. You two go ahead and do dinner at your parents' without me."

I hear what she's saying, but _something's_ not right.

"Do you need anything?" I ask.

"No," she breathes. "I'll be fine. I just need some rest."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Thank you."

 _Strange._ I've known Sophie ever since I was born and I've _never_ known her to have a migraine. Soon, Ronan comes barreling out of his room and I scoop him up for a hug and a kiss. Not too long after that, he hugs and kisses his mom and wishes her well.

"Thank you sweetheart," she answers, kissing him again on the cheek.

"Call me if you need anything. You hear me?" I order as I turn the doorknob with one hand while taking my son's hand in the other.

She answers with a sad smirk shortly before Ronan and I take off.

As my son and I venture out of the building and into the parking lot, I can't help but consider that Sophie could be faking ill in order to spend time with that guy she was with at Le Pichet.

I fucking hope that she's not playing games and that she's truly not feeling well – although it is _not_ my place to question who she is or isn't dating. However, I can't help but feel overprotective about any man that she could be potentially bringing around our son. That's all it is.

 _So I tell myself._

* * *

 _Saturday, August 2, 2036_

 _Sophie_

I know for a fact that Ronan's having more fun than I am right now.

While he's having the time of his life at his uncle's big fourth birthday bash along with his father, I'm stuck here at work. However, I'd be remiss if I don't admit that I was pleased to have an excuse to skip two visits in a row at the Greys' massive compound.

I've been trying my best to distance my emotions from Ted since seeing him enjoying the company of a very attractive girl last week. He's obviously moved on, while I'm still stuck in yesterday.

I blame myself. I was foolish to believe that Ted and I were slowly working towards a new start together. The fact remains that I did a terrible thing in keeping Ronan a secret from him for almost four years.

If this new girl truly makes him happy, then he absolutely deserves her.

The most painful part will be when I have to explain to Ronan that his father has a new girlfriend. _What if they end up getting married?_ My stomach lurches at the thought. I can't even fathom it. But reality tells me that a beautiful, smart, powerful man such as Ted can't possibly stay single for long. He's beyond the perfect catch.

Drop dead gorgeous.

Brilliant.

Filthy rich.

But much more than that, he has a beautiful soul.

He loves hard.

And he's the perfect father to our son.

Ted Grey a girl's dream come true. Hell, he was mine for _many_ years.

But I lost him on my own accord.

 _Dammit!_

I could just bash my head against this solid front counter, _repeatedly_. And on top of everything else, I have to deal with this very large, annoying conference group today.

Who in the hell holds corporate events on a Saturday anyway?

 **Fairmont Olympic Hotel  
Welcomes  
Dawes Introspective Technologies**

Every screen in the lobby embraces one of the world's biggest technology firms. Each person coming through the doors donning a shimmering gown or a dapper tux is no doubt here for the party.

I idly wonder out of the many places for them hold this event, why here? Yes, the Olympic is a fantastic hotel. But they could've done this at the SAM. They could've done this any place else and not ruin my night.

They could've done this on my day off.

Yes, I'm still sulking over Ted. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I simply can't shake it. I'm miserable. Not too many people know how it feels to have the man of your dreams within your grasp, only to not be able to touch him.

And fuck me, he only continues to get hotter and hotter each and every time I see him. The way that he loves and cares for Ronan is the sexiest thing on the planet.

 _Sweet lord, help me._

"Sophie!"

I'm startled when the radio propped up on my desk in the back office statics, and then blares out my name. I grab it.

"I'm here."

"We need you in the Spanish Ballroom," Dan calls back.

 _Fuck._ It's the Dawes party. "I'll be there in a moment."

I get there and Dawes' coordinator is decked out and barking out demands to Dan.

"Thank God you're here," she sighs.

"We have it all under control, Miss Bryant," I reassure her. "We have plenty of hors d'oeuvres on deck."

"We need another bar. The lines are already insane," she frazzles.

"On it," I assure her, picking up my radio to issue out the order.

"Thank you," she sighs in relief as she sets off to rejoin the party.

"God, she's such a spazz ball," Dan groans once she's far enough away from an earshot. I ignore him and make sure that all of our ducks are lined up with catering and the front office over the radio. The key is not to have Miss Bryant asking for another thing. They are paying us far too money to have any mistakes happen on our part.

After checking on the bartenders, the meat carvers, and several servers scattered throughout the ballroom, I gear to leave and return back to the front desk.

Then suddenly, something, or rather _someone_ catches my eye.

 _My God…is that_ _ **her**_ _?_ The girl across the room in the shimmering red gown looks very much like the girl that Ted was with that one night.

I freeze.

"Sophie?"

I hear my name, but I'm paralyzed like a fawn facing headlights. I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Sophie…is everything okay?" Stacey asks at my side.

"That's her," I whisper, covertly gesturing my chin in the direction of the drop-dead gorgeous woman in the sparkling red dress. Stacey frowns, not catching on to what I'm saying. "The girl that Ted was with that night."

" _That's_ her?" she gapes widely at the beautiful girl, making me feel like total shit.

Yes, that's _her_. She's insanely beautiful and wealthy looking, and probably doesn't come with any of the extra drama. You know…all of the things that Ted's probably looking for in a woman.

Stacey gives me a strong, protective look that tells me she's on a mission.

"I'll be right back."

I gasp. " _No_ …" I plead, reaching out to grab her. But it's too late. She's already marching in the direction of the twenty-something year old Halle Berry-looking broad with the gorgeous long wavy dark hair.

In this moment, I want to sink into the marble floor of The Spanish Ballroom, never to be seen again.

I stand there, thoroughly embarrassed as I watch my best friend approach one of the guests of the party we are helping host. In a blink of an eye, I picture both Stacey and myself getting tossed out on our asses tomorrow for starting a fight with an employee or guest of Dawes. _Hell, that woman could be_ _ **anybody**_ _._

 _Dammit, Stacey!_

The girl looks very attentive at my friend as I witness Stacey's hands animatedly going up, down, and to her sides as she talks her ear off. _What in the hell is she saying?!_ They're talking for a long, long time, and I'm getting more and more nervous by the minute.

Pretty soon, I see the girl gasping and she starts to look all around. Suddenly, Stacey spins on her heel and points over to me through the crowd. The other girl's eyes follow. Once our eyes meet, she lights up like a Christmas tree. It's as if I'm Santa Claus.

 _Huh?!_

The woman is waving madly at me. I'm _super_ confused.  
Now she's waving me over.

 _Oh no._

Hesitantly, I make my way through the throng of fancy guests, dreading the outcome once I make it over there to the two women currently staring me down.

"Sophie," Stacey starts the second I arrive. "This is Mischa Dawes, EVP of new technologies at Dawes Introspective Technologies. Also, she's the daughter of owner and founder, JB Dawes."

 _Wait a minute…she's a Dawes?!  
She's a freaking blue blood, just like Ted!  
_The nausea within me expands.

" _Mischa_ , this is Sophie Taylor. She's assistant manager here at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, mother of the sweetest little boy – Ronan Taylor Grey, and my very best friend," Stacey proudly introduces.

I ignore my friend's kind words as I try to hold back on freaking out as best I can. Shit, I don't even know the protocol when one is introduced to the probable girlfriend of the love of your life, but I extend her my hand anyhow. But instead of simply taking my hand to shake it, the girl uses it to tug me into her, and she hugs me as if she's known me for _many_ years.

"Goodness…I'm _so happy_ to meet you!"

 _Huh?!_

"It's like I already know her," Mischa laughs giddily to Stacey as soon as she releases me.

Stacey slyly excuses herself and then flashes me a devious smirk on her way out.

 _Why is she leaving?!_ I feel panic rushing through my veins.  
 _What did they talk about? What have I just walked into?_

 _Bitch, I will pay you back in spades_ – I say to Stacey with only my sharp eyes. She brushes me off.

"Oh my God – _Sophie_! You are even _more_ beautiful than I imagined!" Mischa raves, hugging me again. I am speechless. "Ted talks about you _all the time_!"

 _Wha…?_

"And Ronan is _so_ adorable! I see both you and Ted in him."

My heart stops beating in that moment.

"Wait…you've met my son?" I say way too affronted.

" _Oh_ , it's not what you think," she quickly amends. "Ted has lunch every Monday at Club Sahara with Ronan and Topher. That's where I saw Ronan. Nowhere else. _Well_ , other than the pictures he shares with me."

So Ted's been sharing pictures of _our_ son…with _her_?  
This is getting more and more disheartening by the second.

"Look, let me start over. Ted and I are _only_ working on a project together. Our dealings are strictly professional. That's all I can say about it at the moment."

My eyes narrow equally in confusion, trying very hard to process this new information.

"Are you helping him out with 2040 PTF?" I ask.

She smirks awkwardly and then shakes her head just a little bit. "It's _not_ GEH related. Look, I urge you to talk to Ted and he'll fill you in. But right now I'm not at liberty to say exactly what it is. I just want to tell you how glad I am to _finally_ be able to put a face to a name that I've already heard so much about," she beams.

So she thinks that I should just walk up to Ted and ask him what he's been working on outside of GEH alongside her? I don't think she has any idea about our current dynamic. I have no authority to question Ted about _anything_ right now. He's still upset with me for keeping Ronan's paternity a secret from him.

"I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds," Mischa says, picking up on my reluctance. "I don't know exactly what happened between you and Ted. He's never told me anything about it."

"Mischa!" someone calls out.

As she nods at and hugs several passing guests – vowing to catch up with them later, I can't help but be astounded by her frankness. I'm also surprised that Ted hasn't shared with her how we broke up since they are so… _chummy_.

"Like I said, I don't know what happened," she picks back up after her last interruption. "But what I _do_ know is that Ted is still very much in love with you."

All the air leaves my body.

 _Ted is still in love with me?_

She continues to speak, but it's as if she's not addressing me.  
It's as if she's speaking to someone else who _looks_ like me.

"And I'll be honest with you – I was hoping for something more between us before he told me all about you. But once I made my intentions known, Ted immediately nipped things in the bud," she chuckles.

 _She made a pass at him?_

I'm gaping at her, but she's still smiling away at me like a fool as if her words were idle. "Yep, he turned me down flat. He told me that he wasn't over you."

My God – is this _really_ real?  
Does Ted still love me?

"And for what it's worth, I told him that I'm rooting for the two of you. But who am I to you but a stranger? My support means little or nothing," she laughs. "Regardless, I hope that the two of you work _whatever it is_ out and pull through. I'm a huge proponent of soul mates finding and keeping each other. And if you ever need me to talk some sense into that stubborn boy's thick skull, you just say the word," she winks.

I'm honored by her kindness, but I quickly cringe at the thought of this girl who I _literally_ just met five minutes ago speaking to Ted on my behalf.

"No, you don't have to do that," I attest.

"Look, I know I'm supposed to be hobnobbing with DIT employees and guests. My dad will be making his grand appearance soon. But I'd rather be off talking with you about how to get your guy back."

"I appreciate your kindness," I say, refusing her offer as nicely as I can. "But I'm still on the clock, and you have a party that needs you."

"And _you_ are the perfect sweetheart," Mischa dotes. "I don't know what in the world you could've done to make him clamp down like this, but it doesn't matter. If he loves you, which is _very_ obvious to me that he does, he'll eventually forgive you. Just don't give up on him. And when all's said and done, I'll be expecting my wedding invitation in the mail," she gleams.

I respond back to her with a disingenuous smile and leave the ballroom not too long afterwards.

 _Don't count on that ever happening, new girl._

I think I actually like this Mischa Dawes chick. And if I were being totally honest with myself, I wouldn't mind Ted falling for someone like her. She seems genuine and not fake like the last one he was engaged to. More than likely, Mischa's not trying to score in business because she's already holding her own at her father's massive enterprise. She doesn't need the Grey name to get ahead – the Dawes name pulls just as much weight, if not more.

 _Who's to say that Ted won't later change his mind and consider giving her a chance?_

But as I think about all of the good, positive things about Mischa, I can't help but feel something else deep down in my bones. I can't picture Ted Grey with anyone else.

 _I don't_ _ **want**_ _him with anyone else._

* * *

 _Sunday, August 3, 2036_

Ted and Ronan stop by the apartment to pick me up so we can all head over to Mr. Grey and Ana's for dinner. I almost wish that there were another migraine I could pull off. I'm not ready to face Ted after what happened last night at work.

I came face to face with one of the most gorgeous women I've ever seen – the same who walked side-by-side, instep with Ted that one fateful Saturday night. Her mouth said that nothing's going on, and that Ted's _really_ in love with me. However, my mind wont let me believe it.

She told me to bring up the side project that she's been working on with him, but I refuse. It's taken Ted and I many months to even get to this point. I don't want to do anything to ruin it.

 _Ronan needs his mommy and daddy on one page, regardless if we're a couple or not._

I'm in the kitchen finishing my tea when Ted asks Ronan if he could have a few moments alone with " _Mommy"_. I am taken by surprise as our little guy happily zooms off into his bedroom. Ronan isn't your average kid. He looks forward to his refuge of art supplies in his room. Other kids consider being summoned to their room as a punishment.

I guess Ted and I will have to be more creative if or when it ever comes time to ground our son.

"So," Ted starts, now sitting across from me at the dinette table with a glass of water. "I was wondering. Does it take much more effort to run a hotel resort?"

I flinch at his question. "Well…I figure it'd work just the same as your standard luxury hotel. Running a resort is just like running events, but you're doing it more frequently."

" _Okay_ ," he nods contemplatively. "So…if you were to build a hotel resort, where would you put one?"

My eyes strain at his vagueness, but I try my best to answer his query. "Well, I'd consider somewhere in a resort town – either sunny all year round, or snowing. Someplace where families and couples will want to go. Of course you want white sand beaches in the warmer climates, or enticing ski slopes in the colder ones."

"I got it," he nods, considering my feedback.

"Let me cut to the chase," he says. "I'm interested in launching a chain of state of the art, technologically advanced luxury resorts all across the globe. I'm thinking of starting in Florida, Hawaii, the Caymans, and Tahiti. Mischa Dawes who's an executive over at Dawes Introspective Technologies is on board to help me make this a reality."

I gape at him.

 _I didn't even have to ask. He just comes out and tells me exactly what he's been working on with her._

" _Wait_ ," I sigh. I instantly regret it, but it's too late to pull back. He'll insist on me finishing my thought. "I met her last night. Her company had a gala at my job."

He smiles, and I could just dissolve right here and now. "She told me that she met you last night. She was pretty excited."

"Well, I don't know if I was as excited to meet her," I say frankly. His eyes zoom in on mine. "I saw the two of you walking together on 5th Avenue the Saturday night before last. I thought you were out on a date."

His sparkling blue eyes extinguish as he looks at me with heavy concern.  
"Why did you think that?"

I wordlessly hunch my shoulders.

"We'd just had dinner with a group of potential investors. Afterwards, she and I left to discuss what took place as well as plan for next steps. Do you remember Mason Lund?"

"The son of your mom's good friend? He lives in Chicago, right?"

Ted nods. "Yes. He and I joined forces and formed a start-up investment firm – RTG & Associates. I named it after Ronan."

I gasp. " _What_? You _did_?"

He nods, but he looks wistful. "You mentioned seeing me with Mischa that night, thinking that it was a date. I saw you having lunch with some guy at Le Pichet. Was _that_ a date?"

 _Oh no.  
He was there when I was having lunch that one time with Greg._

"No. He was a guest who insisted on taking me out to lunch right when I was leaving," I tell him. "It was the first and last time. I explained to him that my heart doesn't belong to anyone."

Ted winces as if he's just been pricked.

 _Tell him, Sophie._

"I still haven't gotten it back from you," I say under my breath, but he hears me loud and clear.

Soon, he's standing and rounding the tiny table to my side, but I quickly join him up on my feet. Once we're toe to toe, he stares deep into my eyes as he takes my face into both of his hands. I feel chills coursing up and down my spine.

 _Jesus, he's_ _ **so**_ _close._

"I was a prick to you," he declares.

"Stop it," I push back. "I deserved it. _All_ of it."

"No, you didn't," he says, grazing my chin with the pad of his thumb. His actions are a direct line to my groin, but I try my best to stay focused.

"I did. I betrayed you. I didn't trust you enough to tell you the truth. I was afraid, and what I did was both stupid and dangerous. I could've lost our son for good."

"But you didn't. You fought for him. And you fought for me."

His words stun me beyond measure.

"I'm beginning to understand all that you were facing. You knew how hotheaded I was. You knew I would've told both my dad and your dad to go fuck themselves." I laugh reflexively. He then says, "It's true. You were only looking out for me. Look – I can be mad at how you went about things all I want, but I know that it wasn't in your heart to crush me. I know you did what you did because you loved me."

Sweet lord…he _knows_.  
He understands.

"Yes…but I didn't take into account what I was doing to our son. If I did, I wouldn't have let it go on for so long."

His face hovers closer to mine.

"I know, Angel, I know," he utters sweetly against my cheek before kissing it.

My heart flutters. It's the first time in many months that he's called me that.

"I love you, even though I'm still a little hurt whenever I dwell on the past," he says with a sexy, gravely voice. My head goes down and I'm feeling so undeserving of his love and affection, but then he lifts my chin and pulls my eyes back up to his.

"I love our son. I love _you_. I want the three of us to finally be a family," he pleads.

I nearly hear a choir singing loudly in my head. I gasp.

"I want that too, Teddy. I love you, too," I say breathlessly. His lips tenderly eclipse mine and then slowly move away after the too brief encounter.

"Like I was saying before you rudely interrupted me," he teases with the sexiest smirk. "I want to launch a chain of luxury resorts. And I want you to run them."

I gape at him. "You want me to _what_?"

"You heard me. I want _you_ to run my new chain of luxury resorts. Sophie, you were born to do this."

" _Wa_ …wait," I stutter. "So what will _you_ do?"

"I'm the investor. I come up with the big money ideas and simply cut the check. I'm not going to be involved in the day-to-day happenings. I'll be too busy thinking about the next big idea and investing and launching that. But the resorts will be near and dear to me because my girl will be running them."

I'm flattered but flabbergasted.  
 _I'm still_ _ **his**_ _girl?_

"You're _insane_ …you know that?" I giggle.

His lips purse, camouflaging his grin. "You know what?" he says. "I really don't want to go over to my parents' tonight. I spent all day with them yesterday at Topher's party."

"Can we ditch them?" I smirk.

He laughs. "I _really_ want to," he kisses me once more. "But they will have a conniption if they don't see their grandson at dinner." He kisses me yet again.

"But they just saw him yesterday." He kisses my now pouty lips.

"I know. But either way, we can't stay here, or I'll keep kissing you like this while our son's here in the other room," he says, stealing yet another smooch in spite of his words. " _Mm_ – oh how I've missed these lips," he hums against my mouth.

 _And I've missed yours._

As his arm slowly snakes around the small of my back, my feet feel as though they are no longer touching the ground. I am suspended in midair. _This has to be a dream._

I pinch myself – and to my delight, I don't wake up.

This is _really_ happening.

Throwing all caution to the wind, I lurch my face forward toward his and kiss him very hard like I've been yearning to do for many weeks.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Up Next – Just like old times, Ted and Sophie keep their reemerging romance a secret from everyone else. Finally, Ted tells his father that he's moving on from GEH._**

 ** _Chapter 30 is where we'll bring this story to a close. This has been a wonderful ride. I thank you for being on board with me._**

 ** _I'm excited for our next adventure. ;) – ST2_**


	30. Chapter 30 - Beautiful Life

**Chapter 30 – Beautiful Life**

 _Monday, August 4, 2036_

 _Ana_

I am beyond overjoyed that things are looking up for our entire family.

This morning, Kate and Elliot blasted out their beautiful AR digital invites for their rush wedding taking place at our home on Sunday, September 14th, just four days after my birthday. Then in the spring, the entire family will be taking a trip to Italy to watch Christian's and my eldest daughter tie the knot with her first and only true love. Hanson's maternal grandmother grew up in a village just outside of Rome, so the destination is near and dear to his heart, and now Phoebe's.

And little Ronan Grey…my _sweet_ , sweet grandson. He's been an absolute joy to us all – me, Christian, Taylor, Gail… _everyone_. We are beyond blessed to have him in our lives. He is beautiful, gifted, giving…and _so_ loving.

Much like Teddy.  
Much like Sophie.

Speaking of which, those two were especially secretive last night at Sunday dinner. I realize that they've been gradually opening up and talking to each other, which is wonderful. But there was something especially different about them last night.

It was as if I was peeping into the lives of those two adolescents, and a little later – two starry-eyed teenagers who once more frolicked around the same massive corridors of our big home and out into the meadow.

When Topher drug Ronan away, Teddy and Sophie disappeared. At one point I wondered if they left the grounds either separately or together, but you never really know when it comes to that enormous property.

And right away, the size of our home brings to mind that when the twins head off to Gonzaga exactly three weeks from now, Sunday dinners will _never_ be the same.

The _big house_ will never be the same.

My youngest girls will be setting off four hours east down I-90. And although there are many good things happening these days, I still can't help but feel a little bit heavy hearted. I've been so spoiled these past few years having all of my children in the Seattle area since Teddy graduated from Stanford.

Still, the fact remains that Christian and I no longer need all of this space. Sure, we'll have the big dinners whenever the kids come back around to visit. But for the day-to-day stuff, all of the extra space is simply a waste. For most of the time, it'll just be Christian and I, Topher, Ronan – _whenever he stops by_ , Gail and Jason, and whatever staff is roaming around on a particular day.

I haven't sorted this out quite yet, but perhaps Christian and I can consider building a smaller house on the property. Or maybe we should start thinking about where we want to live when we retire. Reality is, Topher will probably still be in school whenever Christian and I decide to hang up our GEH hard hats for good.

No, Mr. Grey won't be pushing seventy and still working at Grey House – I'll see to that. And if he retires, I'll be right with him. If I don't do it too, he'll still be aware of what's happening with the company through me, and he'll most certainly interfere. He'd even go as far as coming out of retirement.

 _My overbearing megalomaniac._

So needless to say, I have come to terms that Christian and I are a packaged deal in everyway. When he goes, _I'll_ go.

There's a slight jolt in my heart as my eyes scan around my office not quite an hour after lunch. I reminisce about the construction that once took place here nearly twenty-five years ago. It was a week after the New Year in 2012. I'd just returned to work here after a short stint at Emerald City Publishing.

I asked Lacy, who sat behind the reception desk with Andrea at the time, what Christian was doing up here.

 _"He didn't tell you?"_

 _"Tell me what?"_

 _"Mr. Grey is building you an office up here next to his."_

I giggle out loud at the memory. That's when he came clean about his master plan of eventually making me co-CEO with him. I was _furious_. He's damned lucky that what he wanted ended up being exactly what I wanted in the end.

I've enjoyed this adventurous, thrilling ride with my controlling, megalomaniac husband. Not only has he showed me the world, but he's given it to me all at the same time.

Twenty-six years, five children and one grandchild later, I can honestly say that I've lived the ultimate life. I thank my lucky stars each day for every single blessing. And best of all, I love my husband even more today than I did back when I gazed up in our meadow, my place of refuge, and saw that small plane dragging a _MARRY ME ANASTASIA_ banner behind it across the sky. That day, I couldn't have imagined loving him more.

Today, I'm blown away.

As I reach across my desk and grab a tissue from the box to blot the stray tears from my eyes, I hear a rap on the door. I have no clue as to who it could be.

"Yes?"

Without warning, the door swings open. In charges Topher and Ronan, and I gasp with delight.

"Mommy!"

"Grandma Ana!"

" _Ohhh_ …my two favorite little men," I gush.

I lift out of my seat and meet the boys right in the middle, bending down to take in their _big boy_ hugs. I kiss each of them on the cheek and we all pop a squat right where we are. The fact that I'm in a skirt is irrelevant. I'm here in my office at work with Topher and Ronan Grey.

I look up and see my handsome eldest son leaning up against the doorframe, smiling.

"Just getting back from _Monday Man Lunch_?" I beam at Teddy.

He nods. "You mind chilling with them for a few until their ride gets here? I have a meeting to run off to."

"Not at all. Leave them with me," I say eagerly.

"Thanks Mom." He then addresses the boys. "Laters, fellas."

"Bye Teddy," Topher calls out.

"Laters, Daddy," Ronan says so sweetly, that it stutters my heart.

"See you at dinner, son," Teddy lovingly replies before heading off, shutting the door behind him.

"Mommy, can I spend the night with Ronan at his mom's?"

I sigh. "Sweetie, you'll see him tomorrow at home school. Then you'll see him again two days after that. Then you'll see him _again_ at Sunday dinner."

"I _know_ – I just want to spend the night," my youngest child whines just a little bit.

"Maybe Teddy might let you hang out with them this Saturday night at his place," I suggest.

"Yes!" Ronan says, and the two little jokers automatically slap five like clockwork. They have their own little sayings and gestures that none of us adults have a clue what's going on – and they prefer it that way. It's as if they have their own little imaginary clubhouse and no grown ups or girls are allowed. It's genuinely the cutest thing I've ever seen.

"Mommy," Topher says, tugging on my arm even though my eyes are already on him. "I told Ronan that I don't want him calling me his uncle anymore."

I wince at him. "Why not? That's who you are." I look over to my grandson who concentrates on the little guy who implored him not to call him uncle. His sweet little face gives nothing away. I turn back to Topher.

"Me and Ronan…"

"Ronan and I," I immediately correct him. He huffs out in frustration and then rolls his little eyes at me. I bite my lip to stop from laughing and he continues.

"Ronan and I are like brothers. I want him to call me _brother_."

 _Jesus, why?  
Why are these boys doing this to me? _

I was already having an emotional moment before they came in here. Now the water works are in full effect, screwing up my eyeliner.

"Mommy?"

"Grandma? Are you okay?"

I wave my hand in reassurance. "I'm fine, sweethearts. I'm _fine_. I'm just… _happy_?" I say, uncertain that their very young minds will actually comprehend my present confusing state.

I don't see Ronan's reaction since I'm currently rubbing my eyes, but Topher is quick to explain things to him.

"Mommy cries when she's happy sometimes. It's really weird."

"Oh," Ronan says simply.

I laugh.

* * *

 _Tuesday, August 5, 2036_

 _Ted_

This past Sunday, my slow beating heart got a brand new jump.

It's as if my entire world has returned back into clear focus. I am beginning to see life in vibrant, living color once more.

I forgot how bright the color yellow was, or how deep blue can be.  
That was my sentiment when I gazed at Sophie after she kissed me in the kitchen of her apartment – re-possessing me.

Later that day at my folks' place, she and I snuck away without anyone noticing. We held hands as we took a casual stroll down that same meadow that we could parse through blindfolded. That place is just as much a part of us as we are of each other.

I admired her shape in those tight jeans and that sweet little white cotton short-sleeved floral top that laces up right at her collarbone. The top was apropos to that setting as the wildflowers made their final hurrah before autumn truly sets in. Her stark white Adidas amplified the green of the grass that surrounded them.

She leaned against my shoulder as we slowly sauntered on.

 _"I've always loved this place," she mused._

I leaned down and quickly kissed her forehead.

 _"This is the place I always go to in my mind whenever I have a bad day," I revealed._

 _"Me too," I heard her smile through her voice._

 _"My mother said the same to me once. This is her favorite place as well. Her and my dad got married here. My Uncle Elliot and Aunt Kate will soon be married here."_

 _"I know," she thoughtfully sighed. "It's absolutely beautiful."_

 _I stopped mid step, and she turned to look at me._

 _"What about you?" I said._

And just as I suspected, her eyes grew wide and round.

 _"Wha…what do you mean?"_

 _"Would you like to get married one day – out here?" I fearlessly poured out._

We've played games with one another's heart for far too long. If Sophie and I are being completely honest with ourselves, we know where our paths will eventually lead us. I wasn't in the mood to pretend with her anymore.

Sure, we still have our things to work out. But once we do that, it would be nice to know where she'd like for us to get married.

 _"Ted…"_

I chuckled.

 _"Are you honestly telling me that you don't see us ending up at that point?"_

She blinked at me.

 _"I…I've always hoped…."_

I took her face into both hands.

 _"So we will," I say with the utmost assurance. "Someday."_

Sophie then gave me the biggest most gorgeous smile that I could remember her ever giving me. The very thought of it still consumes every bit of me in the best possible way.

 _"Someday soon?" she murmured, full of hope._

Instead of answering her with words, I pressed my lips to hers and demonstrated how much I wanted to give her all that and more. The kiss quickly deepened, and her ten digits were soon digging into my hair. My hands fell gently from her face and landed on her upper arms as they smoothed down a path to her hips. She moaned into my mouth.

When we stopped for a moment for air, something in Sophie's periphery caught her attention. When she turned slightly in that direction, I followed her.

We were both gazing at one of my favorite trees in the vast meadow – an old red cedar that's probably grown there for thousands of years. It hadn't dawn on me that we were so close to it. Perhaps it was fate.

 _"I remember our first kiss underneath that tree," she said, breathless._

 _"So do I," I smiled fondly, kissing her on the crown of her head.  
"Every time I came out here after that day, I would imaging kissing you there all over again."_

Suddenly, Sophie took me by the hand, tugging me.

 _"What are you doing, Miss Taylor?" I chuckled._

 _"Come on," she beamed, releasing my hand before running ahead of me._

And just like old times, I chased her down the meadow.

She soon stopped at the foot of tree and I'm right on her heels as she turned to press her back against the trunk. I crept to her until my front was pressed flat against hers. We are both breathless as we gazed into each other's eyes.

Sophie's hands rose and pressed flat against my cheeks.

 _"I love you, Theodore Raymond Grey. With all of my heart," she softly proclaimed._

I witness the gleam in her eyes and the urgency etched on her lovely face. My breath catches.

 _"Nothing or no one will ever tear us apart ever again. Do you hear me?" I said through gritted teeth._

She nodded eagerly.

I could have kissed her all night, but we had our families to deal with over dinner. Instead, I ended it on this note.

 _"Sophie Taylor, I was wondering if you would do me the honor of allowing me to take you out to dinner tomorrow night," I beamed like an idiot._

She laughed.

 _"Ted Grey, I would love to, but I was planning on cooking dinner at my place for you and our son."_

I slapped my palm against my head.

 _"Shit, I totally forgot about that. Well, how about Tuesday night, then?"_

That smile of hers could absolutely melt the coldest of hearts.

 _"Sure, I'd love to. I'll ask my dad to come by and watch Ronan."_

 _"Great," I sparked._

I'm exceedingly pleased to be taking her out on that date tonight.  
It's long overdue.

* * *

 _Thursday, August 7, 2036_

 _Sophie_

Ted and I sit and cuddle on a bench at Cormorant Cove as we watch the sun set into Puget Sound. It may be a little chilly out according the weather _'experts'_ , but I'm all toasty and warm in Ted's arms.

"We've been spoiled," he muses. "How many times have we seen this view right in our backyard?"

"I know," I chuckle.

I feel his body shift as his eyes take me in a little differently.

" _Hey_ …your dad didn't have a clue that we went out on Tuesday, did he?" he says suddenly.

"Uh… _no_?" I said, unsure if I've done something wrong. "Was I supposed to say something?"

"I mean, it's up to you," he says nonchalantly.

"What about you? Did you tell your mom to keep Ronan for the night because we were going out?" I ask him in turn.

"No," he says, shrugging his shoulders. "Was I supposed to?"

I laugh. "We're a mess, Ted Grey…you know that?"

He kisses me softly on the lips. "I kind of like this. We're not in the spotlight. Everyone assumes that we're just being cordial for Ronan's sake. They have no idea that we're out in public making out like teenagers."

I giggle at the notion and he kisses me once more.

"It sort of keeps people out of our business, at least for a little while," he says. "Speaking of _business_ , I'm going to tell my father soon that I'm leaving GEH."

My heart sinks. "Oh boy. Good luck with that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he smirks.

I sigh. "I don't know how that's going to go. I just hope your dad will be supportive of your dream."

"Yeah, me too," he says quietly.

"Well, no matter what…you have Ronan and I to cheer you on. RTG's going to be magnificent," I gush. He smiles big and pecks me on the mouth.

"Thank you, baby. And you're going to kick ass as the CEO of RTG Luxury Hotels."

I take in a deep breath, hold it in, and exhale.

I can't believe he is doing this…entrusting me with his biggest investment. And the odd thing is, I'm more than willing to accept the challenge. Ted's already been involving me in meetings with Mason and Mischa. Everything's slowly becoming a reality. This is a very exciting time for everyone involved.

"Ready for dinner?" he says after planting a kiss on my cheekbone.

I smile wide and nod.

* * *

 _Saturday, August 9, 2036_

"Mommy…Daddy," Ronan whispers out loud out as the three of us trample through Freemont Peak Park. "Look."

Our four-year-old is excitedly pointing to a Canada goose waddling alone without his flock. Unfazed, the wild bird slowly makes his way towards the thrilled little boy.

"Quick…you have another sandwich in there?" I say, poking at Ted's arm.

He quickly acts and unzips the insulated picnic bag hanging off his shoulder. He then tugs at a slice of bread inside of a sandwich bag and takes out a portion. He carefully creeps and hands it over to our son.

"Why don't you give him some of this," Ted tells him. Ronan tears off a piece and tosses it to the ground. The goose devours it.

"Wow! He likes it!" Ronan says, amazed.

"Give him more," I encourage him, and he does.

Later, Ted has our son's hand in one of his, while his other clasps my waist as we walk along the unique twisty shapes that line the pathway.

I used to imagine Saturday afternoons similar to this one for many years. However, reality is so much sweeter than my dreams ever were.

* * *

 _Friday, August 15, 2036_

Ted decided to surprise me at work today.

"What are you doing here?" I beam just outside of the hotel. "I was on my way to your place to see you and Ronan."

I still don my uniform, why the man of my dreams looks just as gorgeous as he wants to be in his casual Friday gear – jeans and a buttoned-up pastel blue shirt. His muscular arms and shoulders are calling out to me.

 _Goddamn!_

"You dad took Ronan to that big science convention that's going on," he grins.

"What?" I gape at him. "I didn't know there was a science convention."

"Neither did I," Ted laughs. "So I decided to meet you here at work and take you straight to dinner."

"My car's here," I say.

"Leave it. You'll get it tomorrow," he says in that way that suggests everything under the sun. I'm practically breathless.

Ted and I soon dine at one of the best Greek restaurants that I have _ever_ been to. Our meal began with wine and a saganaki spectacle, a platter of flaming cheese that was ignited with a single shout of _"Opa!"_ The fire's soon put out by the squeeze of a lemon. The fresh hot pita was divine. The kabob and rice was mouth-wateringly good.

"I'm stuffed," I groan.

"Good, I just hope you don't fall asleep at the theater. We're seeing _The Marriage of Figaro_."

"What?" I gape at him. "I'm not dressed for that."

"Sure you are. You're perfect," he says without hesitation. "I'm wearing this."

"But it's _The Marriage of Figaro_ at the **_opera_** , Ted," I say with extra emphasis. "Everyone there will be in gowns and tuxes."

"We're not _everyone_. We're _us_ ," he reminds me.

I close my eyes.  
"You're right."

We get there, and although I see a plethora of colors in the form of fancy wears swirling around us, I tune them out. Whenever I'm with Ted, nothing else matters. It's just _us_.

We're eventually in our mezzanine seats with a stellar view of the stage. My body instinctively inches towards him and soon his arm loops around my shoulder and behind my back. I lean my head against his shoulder when a very emotional solo fills the hall.

When the houselights go down and the theater goes dark leading into the second act, Ted and I steal a kiss.

"This is wonderful. Thank you," I whisper afterwards.

"You're welcome, Angel," he breathes back.

….

We're in his car and I expect him to take me home.

Just as he sets to start his car, he turns to look at me.

"I would like to take you home with me tonight."

My heart stops mid-beat.

"I'm dying to make love to you again, Sophie."

 _Oh god._

My chest visibly rises and falls, and Ted's eyes grow in concern.

"I'm sorry if I'm being too forward," he quickly apologizes. "I didn't _mean_ …"

" _Yes_ …take me home with you," I gasp in desperation.  
" _Please_. I want that, too. Very much so."

He gazes at me with stunned eyes. "You _do_?"

I laugh. "Of course, silly."

How can he not see how much I yearn for him?

He unbuckles his seatbelt, but before I can undo mine, his mouth already possesses me. We kiss each other hard as our panting breaths and smacking lips ricochet all around Ted's Bugatti.

Soon, I pull away from him.

"Take me home," I groan. "Now."

His grin overtakes his face. "Yes, ma'am."

….

Not soon enough, we're both naked and in his bed with hungry mouths and hands jockeying for position. He's lying on top of me as my hands trace every ripple of his muscular back.

 _Oh god…I'm going to explode before we even begin.  
_ It's been so long. I'm desperate. I'm hungry for him.

"Ah," I cry out as his hand caresses my sex once again tonight.

"You're so wet for me," he whispers in my ear.

 _Hell, I already know that.  
Now get in there and stop teasing me, Grey._

"Eager, huh?" I hear the smug smile in his voice.

"Shut up," I groan. He laughs. But before I can chastise him, he's spinning me around on my stomach.

" _Oof_ …" I gasp awkwardly from the swift motion, and I know that he is no longer playing games. He's finally getting down to business.

 _Oh yes._

He moans deep and long into my ear that it nearly shatters my insides. Soon, I feel him spreading my knees further apart. I groan knowing exactly what comes next.

"Act one, scene one, Angel. I am going to make you sing for me all night long."

And then he slides into me.

* * *

 _Saturday, August 16, 2036_

 _Ted_

" _Oh_ …fuck me Teddy. Fuck me hard," she groans.

Holy fucking shit.  
She. Is. Wild.

 _My naughty Angel._

I pick up the pace and she becomes even more ravenous.

" _Ahhh_ ," she cries out.  
I suddenly still.

"Hush. You're going to wake the boy," I warn her with a giddy grin.

I'm crashing tonight at Sophie's. Well, rather crashing into her at the moment. Ever since she and I broke the seal last night, we can't keep our hands off each other. For some reason, it took our son longer than usual to fall asleep tonight. It's as if he knew that we wanted to mess around.

 _Ronan Grey's cockblocking already._ I chuckle at the thought.

"What's so funny," Sophie frowns up at me.

I quickly kiss her mouth. "Nothing. Now take this medicine I'm giving you and keep quiet like a good girl," I tease. She slaps me on the back. "Ouch!" I yelp.

"Hush," she teases me right back.

"Oh…you're gonna get it now, Miss Taylor." I grab her roughly by the ankles. She knows exactly what comes next.

" _Oh shit_ ," she gasps in shock.

"That's right," I growl.

Her feet are pinned just above her head and soon I am thrusting into her as deep as I can go. It doesn't take her long to shatter all around me.

She'd do that two more times before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

 _Sunday, August 17, 2036_

"I'm going in. Wish me luck," I say to Sophie.

I wish I were joking.

"It's going to be fine," she quietly assures me as she rubs my back. We look around to make sure that we aren't being watched. When the coast is clear, I sneak a kiss from her lips. She giggles. "Go on," she shoves me onward.

Soon, I'm knocking on the door.

"Come in, Ted," my father's stern voice calls out from the other side. I open his study door and I go in.

"Shut it," he orders, and I do.

He's seated at his sofa with his laptop instead of behind the desk. He closes the computer and places it on the table beside him. He pats down the open space next to him. "Sit." I obey.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" he starts.

Even at twenty-three years old, my father still intimidates me.

"Well…"

"Let me save you the trouble," he starts with an unreadable expression.

 _Holy shit. He's about to tell me to take my resignation and shove it up my ass.  
_ I shudder at the thought.

Slowly, his straight face curves up into a smirk.

"Your mother and I saw you and Sophie together at the opera on Friday."

I gape at him. "You were there?"

He nods. "Your mother and I love _The Marriage of Figaro_."

"But you've seen it _a hundred times_."

"And I'm sure we'll see it a hundred more," he lobs. "Anyway, the two of you can quit pretending that you don't like each other," he ribs.

"We weren't pretending not to like each other," I say affronted.

"That whole _we're only civil for the sake of our son_ act. You can cut the bullshit. _I_ know, your mother knows, Taylor and Gail know. When we're watching your son, the two of you are fucking around. It's the world's worst kept secret."

I laugh out loud. "There was no concerted effort to keep anything a secret in that regard. We neither confirmed or denied that something was going on between us," I finesse.

"Yeah, yeah," my dad waves me off.

"But that's not why I wanted to talk to you," I throw in a curveball.

He clears his throat. "So."

" _So_ ," I echo back.

 _It's now or never, Ted.  
Just dive right in.  
You've got this. _

"I wanted to talk about giving you my two month's notice. I'll be leaving GEH after that time in order to pursue other opportunities," I finally push out.

"Hmm," Dad replies with pursed lips.

 _Is that all he has to say?  
_ I immediately get defensive.

"I've started an investment company with a partner. Things are taking off and I'm ready to do it full-time."

My father doesn't say another word as he studies me. His poker face has always made me uneasy. I'll never get used to it.

"Look, Dad…"

"I was wondering when you would finally tell me," he interrupts.

 _Huh?  
He knew?_

I'm dumbstruck.

"First, it started with you gradually handing off all of your PTF responsibilities over to your sister," he names off. "Then there were the random out of town business trips that had absolutely nothing to do with GEH."

 _Oh yeah.  
That._

"People talk, son. You'd be surprised how many already asked me if I had a stake in my son's new emerging company."

My mouth is agape.  
 _Of course people talk.  
Why didn't I think of that?_

"I'm just a little offended that you didn't ask for my advice."

My stomach drops.

"I didn't think you'd even approve, much less give me any advice."

"You're my son. Of course I would've given you advice," he say affronted.

"Sorry," I say with a dropped head. _I fucked this all up._

For most of my life, I've hid everything that I've held most dear from the people who mean so much to me: My business aspirations. Sophie. Now my father is calling me to the carpet all in one fell swoop. I feel like the biggest piece of shit right now.

"I know that I didn't make things easy for you, but it was only because I knew that you were more than capable of doing greater things that me," he says. "Believe it or not, it's the highest honor to watch your children exceed farther than."

I take in my father's words. I think to my own son. Of course I want Ronan to end up reaching higher heights than me.

"So, tell me all about RTG & Associates," he smiles.

He even knows the name.

"Named it after Ronan," I tell him.

"Figured as much."

"You know the part about Mason Lund and Mischa Dawes?"

"Yep."

"You know about the launch of the first two luxury hotel resorts by the end of next year?"

"I've heard."

"Do you know that Sophie will be running them?"

He stills. "Now, _that_ – I didn't know. Is she good with that?"

I smile, nodding. "She's excited."

"Good. I tried pulling that same act on your mother a long time ago. It didn't go so well."

I laugh.

I go on and explain the business model to him. And by the end of our hour-long talk, my father sits back in the seat next to me wearing a fond expression on his face.

"You have the exact same fire as I when I first started GEH," he tells me. "Granted, I made a few mistakes. I was twenty-one when it all began. I'm sure if I'd waited until I was your age, I would've been a bit more wiser."

"But you had to do it the way you did," I assure him. "You did exactly what you needed to do, and that's why GEH is where it is today."

"You are a great leader, son. You have the natural ability to handpick the best team and inspire them to do their very best. I always knew your sister was brilliant, but I didn't see everything in her that _you_ saw. You've prepped her for a seamless transition and she has taken up the reins and is doing a spectacular job."

"She can run GEH, Dad," I tell him.

"Hell, I know she can," he says without wavering.

I exhale in relief.

"Since you were a little boy, I've always envisioned you running my company," he reveals.

Uneasiness begins to reclaim a spot in my gut.  
 _He's disappointed...I just know it._

He continues. "Thinking back, I know that I put a hell of a lot of pressure on you. All of that was the catalyst that led to Ronan's paternity being kept a secret. Although my intentions for you were good, I had no right to shove my vision down your throat and choke out your aspirations."

I'm speechless.

"I like everything I'm hearing so far about RTG. If there is anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to ask."

I exhale. "Thanks, Dad."

He pats me on the back. "I'm proud of you for being your own man. I couldn't ask for anything more from a son."

I slide over and the two of us embrace like we used to all the time back when I was a kid. The baseball games, the piano recitals, the departures and returns from summer sleep away camp. It all comes flooding back.

My father has always been my hero back then.  
He's my hero once more.

Before we leave his study, Dad leaves me with one final piece of advice.

"Raise your son to be his own man. I accomplished this on accident, but you need to do it on purpose."

* * *

 _Thursday, December 25, 2036_

 _(Months Later)_

Sophie and I can't contain our laughter as we watch our four-year-old excitedly hop around the fifteen-foot tall, sprawling Christmas tree planted off to the side in the great room of the penthouse. He's clutching his brand new robotics kit close to his heart.

"I got a robot… I got a robot…" he chants in song as he makes the round.

"Just wait until he gets over to our folks' later today," I say discretely to Sophie.

"Oh, brother," she says, rolling her eyes with a smile. "I'm certain they outdid us."

Ronan was too excited to yank the two of us out of bed at six in the morning to open all of the presents.

For the past two months, the three of us have been living together under one roof.

 _Finally_ , we're a family.

….

By ten o'clock, we're back home and Ronan's absolutely pooped. His mother had to peel off his heavy sweater and jeans and slip him into his PJs as he lie practically comatose.

By eleven-thirty, Sophie and I are in _our_ pajamas sipping on spiked eggnog and cuddling by the fire and listening to what's probably the last round of Christmas tunes for the year.

Something through the picture window catches Sophie's eye and she quickly stands to walk up to it. I follow her.

"I thought I saw a snowflake," she sighs.

"Nah," I snicker. "Not here. It rains like hell, but it never snows."

I look again and suddenly see a cluster of flurries falling from the sky and into the city skyline.

" _See_ , I was right," she digs. "It's snow."

"Well I'll be damned," I sigh.

"It's so beautiful and serene," she breathes.

Suddenly, I surprise her by spinning her around and pressing her back against the cold glass. She squeals.

"Better," I mumble. " _Now_ it's beautiful and serene," I say, looking right at her face.

"You're such a Panda," she giggles.

" _Your_ Panda. And you're my beautiful Blonde Angel," I say without a trace of humor. Her smile washes away and leaves behind longing. "Merry Christmas, baby. I love you with all my heart."

"Best Christmas ever," she gasps as my lips are but inches away from hers. She manages to slip out an "I love you" before I close the gap, kissing her right were we stand until we later decide to take things up a few notches over in the bedroom.

 _Our_ bedroom.

* * *

 _Sunday, April 19, 2037_

 _(Months Later)_

 _Sophie_

Years ago, I never could've imagine this being my life.

It's the life that I've always dreamed of with Ted and our son who's almost five.

Nothing ever has to change.  
Things can remain exactly as they are and I'd die a happy girl.

"So, we'll have rehearsal dinner the night before," Phoebe runs through her wedding agenda for next month with Sloan and I in the massive kitchen of her parents' home. The three of us devour yet another cupcake. "I should _not_ be eating this. My dress is already done," she groans, taking another savory bite.

Sloan will serve as Phoebe's maid of honor, while the twins and I will stand with her as bridesmaids. Beth and Brie are currently wrapping up their first year at Gonzaga.

"Mommy!"

I look up to see my son barreling in with Topher on his heels.

"Come here! _Now_!" he orders me.

I narrow my eyes at him. I'm enjoying my cupcake. I don't want to leave it.  
But Ronan calls.

"Let's go, Sophie!" Topher echoes. "You too, Phoebe and Sloan!"

"Yeesh," Phoebe sighs. "Well, I guess we don't have any choice on the matter."  
Sloan laughs.

The three of us girls follow the two little overzealous boys out through the veranda and into the meadow where my father and Mr. Grey are working dual grills, with Ana and Gail making sure that they don't burning anything down.

"You wait here," Topher orders.  
Phoebe, Sloan and I eye each other.

"O… _kay_..." Sloan says, highly uncertain.

"Not you," Topher says to me. I'm startled.

"You come with us, Mommy," Ronan demands.

I look back at Sloan and Phoebe who are now giggling.

"How cute," Phoebe gushes.

 _What in the world's going on here?_

I take Ronan's offered hand and he pulls me out into the meadow with Topher leading the way.

"Where are we going?" I laugh.

"No questions, Ma'am," Topher barks out over his shoulder.  
Ronan giggles and it's contagious.

"Well _excuse me_ , Sir," I lovingly sass back.

We're walking quite a distance.

"Almost there, Mommy," Ronan informs me.

"Alright," I smirk.  
What are these two little yahoos even up to?

We get to the red oak tree.

"We're here," Ronan smiles.

"This is where we leave you. Bye!" Topher pipes, and immediately the two boys take off on foot, leaving me in their dust.

"Hey!" I call after them. "What the…"

I hear a crisp whistle behind me. I spin around and there he stands.

Ted Grey.

Kind.  
Loving.  
Gentle.  
Sexy as hell.  
Brilliant.

He's simply perfect.

"Miss Taylor," he smiles that confident smile as he swaggers over to me in his jeans and gray Stanford hoodie. "You look very beautiful today."

I suddenly feel shy, biting down my bottom lip.

"You put those two up to that?" I say, pointing over to the direction that Ronan and Topher recently ran off to.

"You can say that," he says elusively. I look around and confirm that he and I are truly alone.

"What's going on?" I say – confused as to why we're out here like this while everyone's back closer to the house.

"I personally wanted to wish you a happy birthday," he says in the most innocent way. But the smoky look in his eyes reveals that he's up to no good.

"You already did that this morning in bed. Three times," I remind him. And the thought alone sends a tingle right down in that secret place that was touched earlier by _his_ fingers… _his_ mouth… _his_ …

"That was different. By the way – we'll be doing that again tonight right after our son goes to sleep," he purrs. My breath hitches in my throat. "That aside, I wanted to tell you something."

My line of vision forms a tunnel leading straight to him. I hear the faint sounds of chirping birds and buzzing insects in the background. I may see a shadow of the green grass or the massive tree behind us, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just Ted here.

I can't believe that we're here, together…no longer hiding our love from anyone any longer. Today, we are working a brand new business together. The two of us along with our son have been off traveling to beautiful places in order to get our chain of hotel resorts off the ground.

Ted quit GEH last October to see to his dream full-time. I recently quit The Fairmont Olympic in February and hit the ground running in Ted's hotel division. We have temporary offices in Seattle and Chicago, which Ted travels often back and forth between the two locations. Most of the time, Ronan and I go to Chicago with him. But once the little guy begins kindergarten in September, things will become a bit more challenging.

So far, RTG & Associates has been doing very well in its other investments. Now we're anticipating the big launch of our first luxury hotel property sometime next year. I'm absolutely thrilled about it.

"What do you need to tell me," I say softly.

He comes closer and takes both of my hands.

"I am the happiest man in Seattle… _no_ …in the world, thanks to you and our son. I have everything that I've ever wanted."

I try to swallow the lump now logged directly in my throat to no avail. Even if I wanted to speak, I couldn't.

"And I thought to myself – _How could I be happier_?" he muses.

I stare at him with much uncertainty. _Where is he getting at?_

Suddenly, Ted lowers himself down on one knee.

I'm panting.

 _Oh my god…oh my god…_

This is happening.  
This is _really_ happening.

He looks up into my eyes as he pours out so much love and reverence.

"Sophie Taylor, I love you so much. You are my first love…my _everything_. I want to spend the rest of my life being yours. I want you to share the same name as our son and me. _Please_ …"

" _Yes_! Dammit… _yes_!" I cry out.  
"I will!"

He laughs. "Now just wait one goddamn minute. I've practiced this speech for _days_. Now you're going to wait and let me finish _all_ of it."

I giggle as the tears come streaming down my face. I don't say another word, but I'm shaking.

"Now – as I was saying. Please do me the honor of making me the happiest man in our solar system, as Ronan would say…" I laugh out loud. "…and marry me."

Suddenly, Ted releases my hands and pulls out a ring from his front pocket. It shines magnificently in the muted sunlight on a slightly breezy Seattle spring day.

"No, it's not my great grandmother's ring," he snorts.

"I wasn't thinking that," I smile. "I knew you had enough sense not to give me the same ring you gave your ex."

"Ronan helped me pick this one out."

 _Oh my god.  
I can't take it anymore._

I can no longer hold myself up, so I drop down to my knees with him. I take his stubbly face in my hands.

" _Yes_ , Theodore Raymond Grey. _Yes_ I will take your name. And I promise to love you with all of my heart for the rest of my life."

"Oh, Angel," he says before he closes in for a deep and passionate kiss. When we pull apart, I'm both laughing and crying at the same time.

"Now let me put this ring on you before I lose it in the grass," he smirks. I laugh and I give him my proper hand. He ceremoniously slides the ring on my finger.

And just like magic, I hear a chorus of hoots and applause. I turn to see our entire family gathered around and cheering us on. I feel my face flush, and I giggle nervously. Ted proudly grins at the onlookers.

Ted's loving uncle and aunt are standing arm and arm, perhaps reflecting back on their own long journey to happiness. I was so inspired to witness Kate and Elliot's wedding that took place last year, here in this same meadow.

There are Ted's grandparents. Ted's little brother says something hilarious, as he's known to do, that results in Grace and Carrick laughing along with his cousin Sloan. Mr. Topher Grey is sprouting up like a weed these days – just like his bff, Ronan. And for as the eldest Greys', you'd never know that they once adopted Ted's father, his uncle Elliot, and his aunt Mia. As far as I'm concerned, Grace and Carrick Grey are more a part of Ted and Ronan than any DNA test could ever show.

I spy Ted's beaming parents. I no longer see the same scary, intimidating figure I once did when I look at Mr. Grey nowadays. Ted said that it has taken him many years, but his father is finally far less controlling. According to Ted, he's much better at allowing his children to make their own mistakes so that they can become stronger from experience. It's something that Ana said that she's been trying to get across to her husband for many years. I now watch as Mr. Grey looks proudly at his son as he pulls his wife into his loving, protective hold.

 _Aww_ …Ana's crying. She has always been one of my favorite people growing up – _and_ now. She has a heart of gold and a grace unlike anyone else. She's strong, smart, and stunning. Ana Grey's the perfect wife, mother, and CEO. She's everything that I hope to be for Ted, our son, and RTG. I know for a fact that I'll be seeking her wisdom in the years to come.

I grew up wishing that my own mother were as sweet and kind as Ana. I saw Shannon as the _Bitter Betty_ after her and my father divorced; the one who used me as a living pawn. Maybe it was my fall from grace that eventually woke her up. These days, my mother is my very best friend. Shannon Lore was there for me when I was all alone. She became the mother I always wanted, at a time when I absolutely needed her to be that the most.

I can't _wait_ to share my engagement news with her tonight.  
She's told me time and time again that this day would come.  
She adores Ted.

As Gail and I lock eyes, I cry just a little more as I witness her do the same. Like Ana, Gail played a key role in my formative years. She's the reason why I love the service industry so much. Gail Taylor is a selfless woman full of quiet wisdom. I could've been one of the unfortunate ones with the stereotypical evil stepmother, but I got the complete opposite. I'm beyond grateful to have Gail in my life.

There's Phoebe and Hanson – the couple whose nuptials we'll all be celebrating next month in Italy. Phoebe has grown to be an extraordinary young woman. She's taken up the mantle from her big brother and has brought the 2040 PTF program to the highest of heights. She's a true leader and well on her way to do even more awesome things at GEH.

I look to the left of Phoebe and Hanson and find my best friend Stacey leaping up and down and boisterously pointing at Ted and me. The days I used to cry over this man, Stacey was there to pull me up by the bootstraps. When I thought I would lose my son, she stepped in and took care of me until I was able to clear my name. There is no doubt who my maid of honor will be.

Ted stands to his feet and he lifts me up with him, hugging me tightly in his arms. He begins to wipe away my tears as our son excitedly runs up to us.

"Mommy and Daddy are getting married!" Ronan shrieks in sheer joy. I gasp and then buoyantly laugh at his enthusiasm, as does his father.

 _Ronan will get his wish.  
Soon, Mommy will be a Grey, too._

Ted beds down to lift him up with us. Ronan's wedged in between our collective embrace. I kiss my sweet boy on the cheek before Ted maneuvers his head over my way and kisses my lips once again.

I've often dreamed of this happening on _The Grace_ just like Phoebe's proposal last year. _No_ …this very moment is much sweeter than that.

This very meadow, this tree behind us has always been our refuge.  
Ted's proposal wouldn't have been right anyplace else.

I can't wait to finally marry this man and spend the rest of my days showing him how much his love is all I'll ever need.

 _…Fin._

* * *

 ** _Epilogue_**

 _(Sometime in the future)_

 _Ana_

The waves ebb and flow as my toes dig into the warm sand just below my favorite tartan blanket. I sit in solitude as I take in the crisp salty ocean air being whisked around by the gentle evening breeze. The orange sun is slowly making its descent down the horizon.

I look behind me and see that it's much darker there in comparison. The lighting piping through several windows of our adorable private white beach house sitting up above the dunes is luminous. My eyes trail down the white-painted solid oak rails of the boardwalk that connects to the deck of the house and leads down to the shore where I sit.

As the mighty rushing waves bring my attention back to the ocean, I count my blessings – my standard routine during each sunset.

It seems like ages ago since Christian and I called it a career at Grey House for good. It was rather difficult at first to totally separate ourselves from the business… _well_ , mostly for Christian. But once he saw that his baby GEH was in totally good hands, he was able to set her free.

Our eldest baby girl, Phoebe Grey-Larkin finally took over at the helm, with her husband Hanson by her side. Not too long ago, they had their first child – a beautiful baby girl named Olivia Rose. Phoebe's already back to work.

 _She's a workaholic, just like her father.  
_ I smile and shake my head at the thought.

Phoebe's little sisters, Beth and Brie are also on board at Grey House. Yes, I know – I didn't believe it either at first. My free-spirited twin girls who initially refused to ever join the _GEH cult_. But Phoebe was able to convince the twins to intern during summers in order to allow them to discover their talents. Once they walked into those Grey House doors, they never left. They transitioned over to full-time employees after graduating from Gonzaga.

Beth is very technologically savvy and is now thriving in the R&D lab. Brie on the other hand has always been a _people person_ , so HR is very much her strong suit. My youngest girls' professional lives are both thriving in unison – but when it comes to their personal lives, that's where their identical twindom ends. Beth is newly engaged to her college sweetheart, while Brie who recently broke up with her boyfriend, vows to remain happily single.

 _"Don't expect any grandchildren from me. Your other children have that area covered in spades, anyway"_ – Brie beamed confidently at me the last time I saw her.

She's not wrong there. Christian and my eldest son Teddy and his sweet wife Sophie are about to add a third child to their fold. They spend most of their time living at their beautiful Lincoln Park condo in Chicago, where a majority of their business is conducted.

Ted is president and CEO of RTG & Associates, a burgeoning investment firm he started along with Mason Lund, the son of my longtime friend, Lacy. When Ted and his wife aren't in Chicago, they're here in Maui at this very beach house – as Sophie runs the big _RTG Luxury Resort and Spa_ located not too far from here.

Currently, Sophie is eight months pregnant and is taking it easy back home in Chicago. Christian, Topher, and I will make the trek there when it gets closer to her delivery date. She's going to need all of the help she can get with three children to tend to.

Eleven-year-old Ronan is the perfect big brother. He does a great job looking after his little brother Blake, who's now five. The boys are excited to meet their little sister who's yet to be named. I've been pushing for Isabelle, but Teddy's been threatening to name her Shana – a hybrid of _Shannon_ and _Ana_. I'm not yet sold on the idea.

I smile as I think back at how far Teddy and Sophie have come. The odds were definitely against them, but yet they persevered. Their love truly withstood the test of time.

I'm deep in thought when Buddy, my youngest boy's three-year-old golden retriever comes barreling down on the beach and jumps right on my lap. " _Hey_! Hey…" I laugh in surprise. "What're you doing here?"

I ruffle up that spot he likes, just behind the ears. He groans in appreciation. "Just like a man," I chuckle. "Where's Topher – huh? Why isn't he watching you," I baby talk to him.

"Mom!" a voice calls out.

I look up and see my eleven-year-old son hunching over the deck just outside of the sliding glass door.

"Buddy's here if you're looking for him!" I call back.

"I know!" he yells back. I roll my eyes. _Kids._ "Can I have more cake?"

"After your homework's done!" I shout back.

Even way down here, I hear his painful groan. "Buddy! Come here!"

Soon, the pooch rockets out of my arms and rushes up the dune and up the steps to his master. I smile as I watch Topher lovingly pat his dog and retreat back into the house, shutting the sliding glass door behind him.

When Christian and I finally decided to retire, we built this beach house here in Maui. It's not as big as our home in Seattle, but it's big enough to fit most of our children and grandchildren whenever they want to visit.

Although we're not here all year round, we do spend a good portion of our time here. When we're on the island, Christian and I happily sail _Valor_ , our other catamaran, down the Pacific quite often.

As the sky turns just a little darker and the sunset is nearly complete, the sliding glass door behind me opens again. I turn to see my dashing husband barefoot in shorts and a white tee come out with Buddy by his side, along with something plastic in his hand that I can't quite make out from the distance. They eventually complete their descent down the wooden walkway, with Buddy darting way ahead of him.

Once planted in the sand, Christian tosses the orange Frisbee and Buddy wildly goes after it. He catches it midair and brings it back to the thrower. Christian tosses it once more…further away this time. I smile.

 _This is the fucking life._

My guy makes his way over to me and lowers himself on the blanket. His arms envelop me as he plants two kisses on my forehead. Without saying a word, he and I sigh in unison and snuggle up together.

"Guess what? Ted just picked up DIT. Dawes' widow with the majority of shares just sold them all to him."

I gape at him. "Oh my god… _that's_ – that's fantastic!"

He proudly nods. "She trusted our son's business acumen enough to give him her late husband's pride and joy over anyone else. That speaks volumes."

"I'd say," I grin.

"I'm so proud of Ted. He set out to do exactly what he wanted. He stuck with Sophie, and he's a great father."

"He is," I echo.

"All of our children are great," he adds. "We're very fortunate, Mrs. Grey."

I smile and kiss his stubbly cheek. "That, we are."

He rubs my back. "Who would've thought that a chance meeting in an elevator many years ago would change the course of the entire world?"

Christian's word astound me.

He continues his thought. "Our children will make this world a better place. It's all that we could've ever hoped for."

"I agree," I say, smiling up at him. His smoldering look of adoration in return is just as potent as it was over three decades ago.

"I love our life…and I love _you_ , Mrs. Grey."

"Me too, Mr. Grey."

Christian gives my lips a sweet peck, and then we hold each other – sitting here until there's no longer a single trace of blue remaining in the sky.

* * *

 ** _A/N: And there we have it Faithful Readers – the HEA you were all waiting for!_**

 ** _I'd like to thank each and every one of you for sticking around with this story for well over a year. It's never my goal to ever keep a story incomplete for so long. In fact, my first three stories were completed within the year that they were first uploaded. Since my goal for 2018 is to be writing something each day, I will make sure that this lag never happens again._**

 ** _Next, I'll attempt to update TCB fairly soon. However, I want to be completely honest with all of my readers: My heart's just not in it at the moment. Taking Care of Business in essence is a CPOV rehash of Business and Pleasure, a completed APOV story with FIFTY chapters. But with that said, I love my readers so I will do my very best to keep chipping away at that. Just keep in mind that my heart has to be in something in order to give you my very best. If I wake up on a Saturday morning in a TCB mood, then you better believe I'll be working on it._** **:D**

 ** _The next tale that's coming sometime this month is set in Vancouver, WA/Portland, OR during the beginning of Ana's senior year at WSU. Here's what you can expect:_** _"Desperate to not get kicked out of college, Ana takes a job at an exclusive gentlemen's club and soon encounters a very rich, sexy, and mysterious man who can't leave her alone. Told from both Ana's and Christian's POV."_

 ** _Hopefully that whets your appetite._** **;)** ** _If it does, be sure to subscribe for alerts. I'll also be updating my readers on my Facebook page (username: storietella2) with teasers and letting them know when it's posted. We'll also be chatting about the last chapter of Family Business there, so be sure to check it out._**

 ** _I've also started a Pinterest board for the new tale as well (username: storietella). I want to have a few chapters in the can before I start updating the new story. The teaser art is also up on both Pinterest and Facebook._**

 ** _There's also another tale waiting in the wings after that one, so rest assured that I plan on keeping the juicy stuff coming for the remainder of 2018. :)_**

 ** _Again, thank you all SO MUCH for sticking with this story. I know that many of you don't care for Fifty fanfic that veers away from Christian and Ana, but I wanted to try something different this time around. Thanks for letting me bring you out of your comfort zone for just a little while. :)_**

 ** _Until next time, peace and blessings. – ST2_**


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